Hall

INTRODUCTION

Plaintiff and former California attorney Moses Hall appeals from a dismissal judgment entered in favor of defendant attorney Kenneth Reed after the trial court sustained without leave to amend Reed’s demurrer against Hall’s first amended complaint. Hall alleged Reed engaged in misconduct during his representation of Hall in a federal criminal prosecution where Hall pleaded guilty. Hall alleges that after the federal district court convicted him, it set a hearing date to make a final ruling on the amount of restitution Hall owed to his victims. Hall alleges that Reed subsequently entered into a stipulation with the prosecutor about the restitution amount without Hall’s consent or knowledge. Following failed attempts for relief from the resulting judgment in the federal district court, Hall filed the lawsuit underlying this appeal. It is undisputed that Hall has not secured any postconviction relief. Notwithstanding, Hall contends his civil lawsuit in this matter should have survived Reed’s demurrer because its merits should not depend on whether he can plead actual innocence. We conclude Hall has failed to carry his burden to show error in the result of the trial…