Bryce v. Superior Court

Opinion

CROSBY, J.

May the prosecution dictate the place and manner in which court-supervised settlement negotiations take place? Under the separation of powers doctrine, we hold it may not: It is the responsibility of the judicial branch to manage the processing of cases under the guidance of the Constitution, the Legislature, and the Judicial Council. The authority of the executive branch to prosecute does not include the right to impose settlement rules or confer veto power over procedures adopted by the judiciary. A public prosecutor may seek judicial relief from procedures thought to be…