Estelle v. McGuire

Holding that a federal habeas court may not reexamine state court determinations of state law questions

Batson v. Kentucky

Holding that the Equal Protection Clause applies to the use of peremptory strikes

Village of Willowbrook v. Olech

Holding that a class of one could challenge different treatment under the Equal Protection Clause where treatment was alleged to be "irrational and wholly arbitrary"

Roper v. Simmons

Holding "that the death penalty cannot be imposed upon juvenile offenders"

Chapman v. California

Holding that error is harmless only if "harmless beyond a reasonable doubt"

Atkins v. Virginia

Holding that it violates the Eighth Amendment to execute intellectually disabled defendants

Mickens v. Taylor

Holding that he denial of habeas relief must be affirmed where petitioner fails "to establish that the conflict of interest adversely affected his counsel's performance"

Solem v. Helm

Holding that a life sentence without the possibility of parole for a recidivist with seven underlying nonviolent felonies violated the Eighth Amendment

Payne v. Tennessee

Holding that admission of victim impact evidence at death penalty sentencing phase does not per se violate the Eighth Amendment

Davis v. Alaska

Holding that this confrontation right is applicable to state and federal defendants alike

Section 352 - Balancing of probative value with prejudice

Giving a trial court discretion to exclude evidence "if its probative value is substantially outweighed by the probability that its admission will necessitate undue consumption of time or (b) create substantial danger of undue prejudice, of confusing the issues, or of misleading the jury"

Section 190.2 - Penalty for defendant found guilty of first-degree murder with special circumstance

Prescribing penalty of death or LWOP for special circumstance murder

Section 15

Affording “the right ... to compel attendance of witnesses in the defendant's behalf”

Section 7

Guaranteeing due process and equal protection

Section 17

Prohibiting cruel or unusual punishment

Section 1089 - Alternate jurors

Providing that "the prosecution and the defendant shall each be entitled to as many peremptory challenges to the alternate jurors as there are alternate jurors called"

Section 1128 - Deliberation

Providing in part: "After hearing the charge, the jury may either decide in court or may retire for deliberation. If they do not agree without retiring for deliberation, an officer [i.e., bailiff] shall be sworn to keep them together for deliberation in some private and convenient place, and, during the deliberation, not to permit any person to speak to or communicate with them, including any form of electronic or wireless communication, nor to do so himself or herself, unless by order of the court"

Rule 8.630 - Briefs by parties and amicus curiae