People v. Superior Court

This is another episode in the running battle between Judge Dodson of respondent court and the District Attorney of Santa Barbara County, over the efforts of Judge Dodson to apply his own, highly individualistic, methods of reducing court congestion and speeding the trial process in that county. To date the judge has lost two rounds; for the reasons set forth below, we conclude that he is entitled to win this one.

Defendant, and real party in interest, is, admittedly, an habitual writer of bad or of forged checks. In 1970, he was charged, in respondent court, in superior court case No. 89,882, with two counts of forgery, in violation of section 470 of the Penal Code, and with four prior felony convictions. He pled guilty to one count charging forgery, the other count was dismissed by the People, and the alleged priors were stricken by the court. After a consideration of possible probation, he was sentenced, by Judge Dodson, to state prison on February 2, 1971.

On March 8, 1971, defendant was again arraigned before Judge Dodson, in the present case, superior court No. 91,356, this time on a new charge of forgery of a check, allegedly committed on January 8, 1971— i.e.,…