Opinion ID: 767560
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: California's Unitary Review Scheme

Text: 16 The State of California adopted a unitary scheme of collateral review effective June 6, 1989. The scheme, which the State previously referred to as a  `comprehensive scheme of interlocking, cross-implementive provisions,'  quoting Ashmus I, 935 F. Supp. at 1056, is comprised of the following provisions: 17
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19 (3) Section 20 of the Standards of Judicial Administration Recommended by the Judicial Council (effective Jan. 1, 1985); 20 (4) Introductory Statement, California Court Rules (effective Jan. 1, 1992) 21 (5) California Penal Code S 1241 (enacted 1955); 22 (6) California Government Code S 68070 (effec tive as amended Oct. 3, 1977); 23 (7) California Supreme Court Statement of Policies Regarding Cases Arising from Judgment of Death (adopted and effective June 6, 1989); 24 (8) California Supreme Court Internal Operating Practices and Procedures, Sections XIII.A and XIV.A (adopted Summer 1985, revised December 1989 and in 1995); 25 (9) California Supreme Court Payment Guidelines for Appointed Counsel Representing Indigent Criminal Appellants (revised Sept. 19, 1990, and Dec. 22, 1993); and 26 (10) California Supreme Court Guidelines for Fixed Fee Appointment, on Optional Basis, to Auto matic Appeals and Related Habeas Corpus Pro ceedings (effective Jan. 1, 1994). 27 In 1997, long after the completion of all of Ashmus' state proceedings, California revised the structure of its unitary review scheme. The state legislature adopted Chapter 2.1 (now Chapter 2.3) of title 8 of the California Government Code, see Cal. Gov't Code SS 68660-68666 (West Supp. 1999) (effective Jan. 1, 1998), to create the California Habeas Resource Center. Section 68662 required the California Supreme Court to offer to appoint counsel to represent all state prisoners subject to a capital sentence for purposes of state post conviction proceedings. S 68662. Section 68665 required the California Judicial Council and the California Supreme Court to adopt, by rule of court, binding and mandatory competency standards for the appointment of counsel in death penalty direct appeals and habeas corpus proceedings. S 68665. Accordingly, the Judicial Council and the California Supreme Court adopted California Rule of Court 76.6 (effective February 27, 1998) to implement the new statutory provisions. See Cal. R. Ct. 76.6 (West Supp. 1999).