Is a trial court required to state its reasons for sentencing a defendant to a minimum sentence?

California, United States of America

The following excerpt is from The People v. Howard, B214985, No. YA071270 (Cal. App. 2010):

The trial court "shall state the reasons for its sentence choice on the record at the time of sentencing." ( 1170, subd. (c); People v. Sandoval, supra, 41 Cal.4th at pp. 846-847; Cal. Rules of Court, rule 4.420(e) ["The reasons for selecting one of the three authorized prison terms... must be stated orally on the record"].) However, the court is not required "to cite 'facts' that support its decision or to weigh aggravating and mitigating circumstances," nor must it provide a " 'concise statement of the ultimate facts

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that the court deemed to constitute circumstances in aggravation or mitigation.' [Citation.]" (People v. Sandoval, supra, at p. 847.)

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