Hundal

Defendant Kanwaljit Hundal was found guilty by a jury of six counts of committing lewd acts on his daughter, M., when she was 10 years old. (Pen. Code, § 288, subd. (a).) He was sentenced to a total of six years in state prison.

Defendant appeals, contending the trial court erred in excluding certain evidence and in denying his motion for a continuance. He also raises ineffective assistance of counsel. In the unpublished portion of the opinion, we shall affirm the judgment against defendant (see pt. I., post).

In a consolidated matter, Deputy District Attorney Claire Van Vuren appeals from a $50 sanction imposed on her by the trial court pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure section 177.5. In the published portion of the opinion, we shall reverse the judgment against Attorney Van Vuren by striking the fine (see pt. II., post).

I.

DEFENDANT’S APPEAL

II.

VAN VUREN’S APPEAL

Facts

On the morning of December 5, 2006, in the middle of jury selection, Attorney Walia failed to appear for court and Cocounsel Lowenstein showed up late, at 9:30 a.m. While waiting for defense counsel to appear, Deputy District Attorney Van Vuren handed the court clerk a document indicating…