A Pitchess motion

A Pitchess motion is a type of pre-trial motion that may be raised by a defendant who suspects that the arresting officer has engaged in previous misconduct which may be relevant to his or her defense. This motion seeks personal information contained in the officer’s personnel file, including any complaints about racial bias, false arrest, the planting of evidence or any other criminal conduct. Because the rules that regulate when and how this information may be disclosed are technical and complex, it is critical that an individual accused of a marijuana-related offense in this state hires an experienced criminal defense lawyer who understands how to effectively write and argue a Pitchess motion.

Pitchess motions are designed to allow an individual who believes that an officer involved in his or her arrest or subsequent criminal investigation engaged in any type of misconduct the opportunity to investigate that claim and use any discovered, relevant information to aid in his or her defense. However, this information is not freely available, as the legislature and courts both agree that officers have a compelling interest in maintaining the privacy of their personal information as well. As a result, a judge hearing a Pitchess motion must decide which party has a more compelling claim based on the facts before him or her.

Pitchess hearings basically involve two steps – the defense establishing “good cause” for the requested information and the judge reviewing the officer’s records if that burden is met. Every Pitchess request will not result in a review of an officer’s file. The defense must first present specific facts that support their position. This burden is relatively low, as the defense must only show that the alleged misconduct “could have” taken place, not that it necessarily did. The purpose for this step is to determine exactly what type of records are being sought. One of the issues that a judge will consider when reviewing a Pitchess motion is scope. A defendant seeking access to everything in an officer’s package will not likely move a judge. An officer’s personnel packet contains all records that are maintained by the employing law enforcement agency, including Human Resources records, psychological and medical information, citizen complaints and internal affairs investigations. If a defendant specifically alleges that the officer planted evidence (either in the form of marijuana or paraphernalia, for example), a motion seeking evidence of similar complaints would more likely produce the desired information than a motion seeking everything in the file. Even if everything were requested and, assuming the defense’s burden was met, the judge would determine which information would be relevant to the complaint and would only provide the information that he or she deemed relevant. Citizen complaints that the officer used excessive force, for example, would typically be ruled irrelevant and therefore not be disclosed.

The second step in the process assumes that the first step was successful and involves the judge’s review of the officer’s file to determine if there is any information that is relevant to the defendant’s complaint and, if so, whether it is legally permissible to disclose it.

Because the rules that regulate Pitchess motions and hearings are so specific, prevailing in one requires the skill and experience of a seasoned criminal attorney. The unsurpassed lawyers at The Kavinoky Law Firm understand how to effectively raise and argue a Pitchess motion so that the requested information will likely be revealed. They have mastered all of the laws that relate to California marijuana defense, which include all of the different issues and motions that may be raised prior to and up through their client’s trial. For more information from an exceptional firm, contact them today for a free consultation.