Court Opinion

ID: 9726084
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 12:30:11.767619+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:25:23.399774
License: Public Domain

CHANNELL, J.
I concur and dissent.
The majority opinion rests its holding squarely on Evidence Code section 1041. However, in presenting their arguments to the superior court below, and in opposing the present writ, the Beople base their arguments on Evidence Code section 1042, subdivision (b). I agree that Evidence Code section 1042, subdivision (b) is applicable to the facts now before this court. I disagree with the conclusion urged by the Beople: that Evidence Code section 1042, subdivision (b) permits them to refuse to disclose the content of an oral affidavit.
Evidence Code section 1042, subdivision (b) provides, “Notwithstanding subdivision (a), where a search is made pursuant to a warrant valid on its face, the public entity bringing a criminal proceeding is not required to reveal to the defendant official information or the identity of an informer in order to establish the legality of the search or the admissibility of any evidence obtained as a result of it.” (Italics added.)
*341Although petitioners dispute the fact, I will assume, for purposes of this opinion, that the present search warrants were valid on their face. Thus, the issue under Evidence Code section 1042, subdivision (b) is narrowed to whether the oral affidavit in support of the search warrants constituted “official information.”
“Official information” is defined by Evidence Code section 1040, subdivision (a). It provides: “As used in this section, ‘official information’ means information acquired in confidence by a public employee in the course of his or her duty and not open, or officially disclosed, to the public prior to the time the claim of privilege is made.” While this definition appears in a separate code section, under well established rules, when a statute is but one in a series of like statutes and a particular phrase or expression appears in each of them, those other statutes may be consulted as a guide to the proper construction or interpretation of the instant statute. (Frediani v. Ota (1963) 215 Cal.App.2d 127, 133 [29 Cal.Rptr. 912].) Thus, for purposes of the present inquiry, I adopt this definition when assessing the validity of the application of Evidence Code section 1042, subdivision (b).
Here, Officer Dorrian testified at the preliminary hearing that the search warrants were obtained on the basis of information provided by a confidential informant.1 There appears to be no question that this information was obtained by Dorrian, a public employee, in the course of his official duties, and that this information was not disclosed prior to the time the privilege of nondisclosure was asserted. Thus, it appears that the information contained in the oral affidavit was “official information” within the meaning of Evidence Code section 1042, subdivision (b).
While a strict reading of Evidence Code section 1042, subdivision (b) would seem to permit the People to refuse to disclose the contents of the oral affidavit used to obtain the search warrants, I believe that this code section must be limited by petitioners’ due process rights. As the majority opinion notes, the material in an affidavit furnishes the basis for a variety of challenges to a search warrant. A defendant who cannot view any portion of an affidavit cannot determine whether those challenges should be made.
In determining the extent to which a defendant’s due process rights limit the application of Evidence Code section 1042, subdivision (b), I take guidance from the privilege which allows the People to conceal the identity of an informant. (Evid. Code, § 1041.) I view the majority’s analysis of Evidence *342Code section 1041 as persuasive authority for limiting the application of Evidence Code section 1042, subdivision (b) and conclude that the only portion of an oral affidavit which may be concealed from a defendant is that portion which necessarily would reveal the identity of a confidential informant. Thus, I concur in the majority holding on this issue.2
However, I must dissent from the majority’s decision to issue an advisory opinion in this case. The Attorney General has moved this court to amend its alternative writ of prohibition to permit the People to file a motion to dismiss the information with prejudice in the trial court. Petitioners have indicated that they do not oppose the Attorney General’s motion. The majority declines to amend the alternative writ reasoning that the petition presents issues of public interest which are likely to recur.
A dismissal with prejudice is the best possible result petitioners could hope for in this case. The majority’s decision to issue a written opinion could possibly result in petitioners being recharged. Nor is it to the People’s interest to continue to press this prosecution. Once again, the truth of the truism “bad cases make bad law” is demonstrated.
I am not aware of any reported California criminal case where an appellate court refused to permit an information to be dismissed with prejudice when requested to do so by both parties. I would grant the motion to amend the alternative writ and thus dissent from that portion of the majority opinion.

The majority opinion concludes, at footnote 3, ante, that the transcript of the oral affidavit hearing does not establish that the informant gave information in confidence. I believe the fact that this information was given in confidence can be and apparently was inferred by the magistrate.

 In footnote 3, ante, the majority concludes that the People did not establish probable cause for issuance of the warrant. I disagree. However since that conclusion is unnecessary to the holding, I need not dissent from that portion of the majority opinion.