People v. Haywood

In January 2015, defendant Pharaoh Haywood filed a petition in propria persona pursuant to Penal Code section 1170.181 (enacted as part of a Nov. 2014 initiative measure) to redesignate his 1996 felony conviction for unlawful taking or driving of a vehicle (Veh. Code, § 10851, subd. (a) ) as a misdemeanor.2 He waived personal appearance if the matter was not contested. The trial court, acting ex parte, appointed a public defender. It then summarily denied the petition in a minute order "due to ineligibility based due to: [c]urrent [sic] conviction(s)."3 Defendant appealed. (Cf. Teal v.…