People v. Cuevas

Opinion

CHIN, J.

Negotiated plea agreements may include a sentence “lid,” which

constrains the maximum sentence a trial court may impose but is less than the maximum exposure the defendant would otherwise face absent the agreed-upon lid. In People v. Shelton (2006) 37 Cal.4th 759, 763 [37 Cal.Rptr.3d 354, 125 P.3d 290] (Shelton), we held that when a plea agreement specifies a sentence lid, “a challenge to the trial court’s authority to impose the lid sentence is a challenge to the validity of the plea requiring a certificate of probable cause.” Absent such certificate, a defendant may not later…