California Supreme Court Watch

#22-281 Needham v. Superior Court, S276395. (G060670; 82 Cal.App.5th 114; Orange County Superior Court; M-16870.) Petition for review after the Court of Appeal granted a petition for writ of mandate. This case presents the following issue: Does the Sexually Violent Predator Act (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 6600 et seq.) allow the People to retain a private expert to testify at trial as to whether a defendant is a sexually violent predator, or are the expert witnesses limited to those designated by the State Department of State Hospitals (Welf. & Inst. Code, §§ 6601 & 6603)?

Petition for review granted: 10/26/2022

Opening brief on the merits filed: 12/22/2022

Answer brief on the merits filed: 2/23/2023

See the Court of Appeal Opinion.