Townsend v. Superior Court

Opinion

RICHARDSON, J.

In this case we are called upon to interpret and apply the provisions of California Penal Code section 1382 which require that a criminal defendant, in most felony cases, be brought to trial within 60 days after the filing of an accusatoiy pleading. In particular, we consider the effect of that statute in relation to the traditional power of trial counsel to control the proceedings.

Petitioner, defendant in a criminal action currently pending in Los Angeles County Superior Court, seeks an extraordinary writ requiring respondent court to set aside its order denying, and…