Strickland v. Washington

Holding an "error by counsel" doesn't "warrant setting aside the judgment of a criminal proceeding" where in the context of the whole proceeding the identified error "had no effect on the judgment"

Williams v. Taylor

Holding that counsel's performance was deficient when their investigation failed to uncover "extensive records" filled with mitigation evidence concerning the defendant's family history, education, mental health, and rehabilitation

Jackson v. Virginia

Holding that courts conducting review of the sufficiency of the evidence to support a criminal conviction should view the "evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution"

Estelle v. McGuire

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

Wiggins v. Smith

Holding that counsel's performance was deficient when they failed to expand their investigation into the defendant's life history "after having acquired only rudimentary knowledge of his history from a narrow set of sources," especially when those sources indicated the existence of helpful mitigation evidence

Miranda v. Arizona

Holding that statements obtained by custodial interrogation of a criminal defendant without warning of constitutional rights are inadmissible under the Fifth Amendment

Batson v. Kentucky

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

Tennard v. Dretke

Holding that petitioner was entitled to a COA on his Penry claim where his evidence of low IQ and impaired intellectual functioning had "mitigating dimension beyond the impact it has on the individual's ability to act deliberately"

Kyles v. Whitley

Holding the State's disclosure obligation turns on the cumulative effect of all suppressed evidence favorable to the defense

Ring v. Arizona

Holding that “[i]f a State makes an increase in a defendant's authorized punishment contingent on the finding of a fact, that fact—no matter how the State labels it—must be found by a jury beyond a reasonable doubt”

Section 187 - Murder

Defining murder as "the unlawful killing of a human being . . . with malice aforethought."

Section 211 - Robbery

Requiring taking of personal property of another

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 664 - Punishment for attempt to commit crime

Requiring intent to kill for attempted murder

Section 459 - Burglary

Providing that a "person who enters" certain locations "with intent to commit grand or petit larceny or any felony is guilty of burglary"

Section 12022.7 - Persona infliction of great bodily injury on person other than accomplice in commission of felony or attempted felony

Adopting section 13700's definition of domestic violence

Section 12022.5 - Personal use of firearm in commission of felony or attempted felony

Providing for sentence enhancement

Section 189 - Murder of the first degree

Providing that malice may be express or implied – with implied malice being, e.g. , "when the circumstances attending the killing show an abandoned and malignant heart"

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 Amendment XIV - Rights Guaranteed: Privileges and Immunities of Citizenship, Due Process, and Equal Protection

Prohibiting deprivations by “State”

Rule 8.224 - Transmitting exhibits