People ex rel. Pierson v. Superior Court (Grand Juries)

In 2015, the California Legislature enacted SB 227 to try to ensure that prosecutors use a public process when deciding whether to criminally charge police officers accused in shootings or other uses of excessive force, as opposed to using secret grand-jury proceedings. The Court of Appeal held that the law is unconstitutional because it conflicts the constitutional role of the grand jury.

The ACLU Foundations of California supported SB 227 and has now asked the California Supreme Court to grant review in the case.