California Bar Proposes New Ethics Rule for Prosecutors

 

Ed Vergara currently serves as the vice president for investment at Marcus and Millichap, a real estate firm based in Palo Alto, California. In addition to his real estate investment work, Ed Vergara also maintains members in the State Bar of California.

The State Bar of California’s Board of Trustees has approved new ethics regulations that address the function of criminal prosecutors, more clearly defining their obligation to provide the defense with pertinent evidence. The proposed rule now goes to the California Supreme Court for approval before it can be implemented.

The new regulation would require the prosecutor to share evidence he or she would reasonably think could be beneficial to defense lawyers.

The move comes as a broad initiative by the bar to overhaul its rules of conduct for the first time in more than 30 years. The State Bar’s Commission for the Revision of the Rules of Professional Conduct has come up with 68 new and modified rules proposals that will go before the California Supreme Court by the spring of 2017.