People v. Superior Court (Pearson)

Opinion

CHIN, J.

Proposition 115 passed in 1990. Among other things, it added a new chapter to the Penal Code providing for reciprocal pretrial discovery in criminal cases. (Pen. Code, § 1054 et seq.; see Pen. Code, pt. 2, tit. 6, ch. 10.) The new chapter states that “[n]o order requiring discovery shall be made in criminal cases except as provided by this chapter,” and that the “chapter shall be the only means by which the defendant may compel” discovery from prosecutors or law enforcement agencies. (§ 1054.5, subd. (a).) The Legislature may amend Proposition 115’s statutory provisions, but…