Legal Question in Criminal Law in California

Where does the defendant number come from

when you pull up a case on the internet it has a case number and a defendant number. I need to know where the defendant number comes from and if two different cases should have the same number. they are totally different cases with different dates but they have the same defendant number. the court clerk didn't know.

Thank you


Asked on 8/13/04, 8:06 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Lyle Johnson Bedi and Johnson Attorneys at Law

Re: Where does the defendant number come from

Appellate cases have two numbers. The first number is the case number assigned to the case when it is filed with the appellate court. The second number is the reporter number that is assigned to published cases. It appears that the printer of the reporter series that the case is printed in assigns the reporter number. The reporter number is based on the Volume number, the series 1sr, 2nd etc and the page number in that volume on which the case commences.

In trial court criminal cases you may see a number for the case, which is assigned when the case is filed. Some courts also have a number assigned to the defendant. This number is assigned by the state department of justice and follows the defendant through his or her life.

Read more
Answered on 8/14/04, 10:16 pm


Related Questions & Answers

More Criminal Law questions and answers in California