Legal Question in Criminal Law in California

Re: discovery costs

Yes. They do have to make the tapes available for the defendant to review. They don't have to make a copy of the tapes for free.

Good luck,

Re: discovery costs

A lot of California Courts (not all) allow the DA to charge for discovery. The theory being; you have a right to see the discovery, but not to have it copied for you. Therefore, they can charge you for you to have your own copy. So, the short answer is: yes, they can make you pay for it.

Re: discovery costs

Yes. They do have to provide those tapes as part of the discovery (or make them available for inspection). Even so, they do not need to do so for free. They are entitled to recoup their "costs."

Re: discovery costs

As states by counsel, the answer is yes. In fact, Courts and DA's in Orange County, CA do this all the time.

Some courts provide a waiver for the discovery costs upon a showing of hardship.