Riverside County Sheriff’s Dep’t v. Stiglitz: Cal. Supreme Court to Decide Whether Hearing Officer in Public Employee Termination Matter May Grant Pitchess Motion

On January 16, 2013, the California Supreme Court granted review in Riverside County Sheriff’s Department v. Stiglitz (Case No. S206350).  The court limited review to the following issue: 

Does the hearing officer in an administrative appeal of the dismissal of a correctional officer employed by a county sheriff's department have the authority to grant a motion under Pitchess v. Superior Court (1974) 11 Cal.3d 531? 

In the underlying opinion (available here), the Court of Appeal reversed an order granting a petition for writ of administrative mandate, holding that a hearing officer in such a case has authority to to grant a Pitchess motion. 

The Supreme Court's case summary page is here.  I have added the case to our Watch List of pending cases.