People v. Jackson

Petitioners, in this consolidated petition, seek relief under rule 31(a) of the California Rules of Court. Under that rule relief may be granted from default in failing to file the notice of appeal required to be filed within 10 days of the time of sentence. It is now settled law that this power to relieve from default should be liberally construed to avoid, if reasonably possible, the loss of the right to appeal. (See People v. Madrid, ante, pp. 602, 603 [43 Cal.Rptr. 638, 400 P.2d 750], where many of the prior cases so holding are cited and discussed.)

The facts of these eases clearly call…