Peters
People Ex Rel. Curtis v. Peters
Opinion
Opinion
Racanelli, J.
Appeal Number AO 15571
On October 28, 1980, William D. Curtis, District Attorney for the County of Monterey, brought an action in the public interest in the name of the People of the State of California against defendant William G. Peters, then a member of the Monterey County Planning Commission, to enforce the financial disclosure and reporting requirements of the Political Reform Act of 1974 (Gov. Code, § 81000 et seq.) and the Monterey Conflict of Interest Code applicable to planning commissioners.
In an amended complaint filed February 24, 1981, appellant sought injunctive relief and civil penalties; the gravamen of the several charges relates to the claimed failure of respondent to fully and accurately report certain economic interests and investments in his disclosure statements filed for the years 1977 through 1980. Following an extended trial before an advisory jury, the trial court made findings and conclusions in support of a judgment entered in favor of respondent together with an award for attorneys’ fees.
On appeal, appellant challenges the sufficiency of the evidence to support the findings and further claims a denial of a fair trial as a result of a…