Zaidi

The issue before us is the necessary content of a change of plea advisement when a lifetime obligation to register as a sex offender may be imposed upon a defendant under Penal Code section 290, subdivision (a)(2)(E).

Following a negotiated plea, defendant Shamin Zaidi pled no contest to one count of misdemeanor lewd conduct in a public place (Pen. Code, § 647, subd. (a)). He was sentenced to three years’ supervised probation and required to register as a sex offender pursuant to section 290. We granted his petition to transfer his case from the appellate department of the superior court to the Court of Appeal (Cal. Rules of Court, former rule 64(c)(1)(B)), after the appellate department affirmed the denial of his petition to withdraw his plea. He contends he should be allowed to withdraw his plea because he was not informed that registration is a lifetime requirement.

BACKGROUND

Complaint

The original complaint charged defendant with three misdemeanors: sexual battery (§ 243.4, subd. (e)(1); counts 1 & 2) and annoying or molesting a child under 18 (§ 647.6, subd. (a); count 3). Conviction of these offenses mandates registration as a sex offender (§ 290, subd.…