District Attorney
AB 2942 Implementation

Assembly Bill No. 2942 (AB 2942) was a bill passed by the California State Legislature in 2019 that gives prosecutors the discretion to reevaluate past cases. The prosecuting agency will evaluate the case and has discretion to then recommend a modified sentence if appropriate.

The San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office is committed to seeking justice for the community of San Joaquin County.  In seeking justice, the Office of the District Attorney is committed to a common sense and just approach to criminal prosecution as follows:

1. Protect the safety of the community and advocate for the victims of violent and serious criminal conduct.
2. Individuals engaged in “Violent” and “Serious” crimes represent an increased threat to community safety.
3. Repeat offenders and multiple crime offenders are regarded as an increased threat to the safety of the community.
4. Offenders who accept responsibility for their criminal activity should abide by the plea agreement for which they bargained. 

The District Attorney has the discretion to revisit a sentence to determine whether in the interest of justice, the sentence should be reduced.  It is the goal of this Office and the Post-Conviction Review Unit (PCRU) to review these claims in a fair and independent manner in the ultimate pursuit of truth and justice. This policy is immediately in effect and is retroactive to all pending AB 2942 petitions.  In addition to this process is the new Petition Request Form for petitions submitted in April 2023 and after. Our office will honor the review of all pre-April 2023 petition forms, however going forward, the petitioner will be required to fill out the form listed to the right.