How does the Court of Appeal review a sentencing choice for abuse of discretion?

California, United States of America


The following excerpt is from People v. Garcia, B231083 (Cal. App. 2012):

We review a trial court's sentencing choice for abuse of discretion. (People v. Carmony (2004) 33 Cal.4th 367, 376-377.) In doing so, "we are guided by two fundamental precepts. First, '"[t]he burden is on the party attacking the sentence to clearly show that the sentencing decision was irrational or arbitrary. [Citation.] In the absence of such a showing, the trial court is presumed to have acted to achieve legitimate sentencing objectives, and its discretionary determination to impose a particular sentence will not be set aside on review."' [Citations.] Second, a '"decision will not be reversed merely because reasonable people might disagree. 'An appellate tribunal is neither authorized nor warranted in substituting its judgment for the judgment of the trial judge.'"' [Citations.] Taken together, these precepts establish that a trial court does not abuse its discretion unless its decision is so irrational or arbitrary that no reasonable person could agree with it." (Ibid.)

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