The California Supreme Court has issued two decisions clarifying the law to a great extent in the area of parole suitability determinations
by the Board of Parole Hearings and Governor.
After the California Supreme Court settles important questions of law concerning
the meaning, scope and application of the parole statutes and regulations, the California courts of appeal interpret and apply the
Supreme Court's holdings, making case law among the state's six appellate districts. These decisions further refine the law, applying
the Supreme Court's holdings to specific facts in individual cases and providing important guidance concerning the reach and meaning
of the law as handed down by the California Supreme Court.