For reprint rights or to purchase a copy of your Daily Journal photo, email Jeremy_Ellis@dailyjournal.com for prices or call 213-229-5424.

To buy more copies, call 866-531-1492 or email subscribe@dailyjournal.com
This is the property of the Daily Journal Corporation and fully protected by copyright. It is made available only to Daily Journal subscribers for personal or collaborative purposes and may not be distributed, reproduced, modified, stored or transferred without written permission. Please click "Reprint" to order presentation-ready copies to distribute to clients or use in commercial marketing materials or for permission to post on a website. and copyright (showing year of publication) at the bottom.
Read Today's Digital Edition
Place Your Legal Notices View Our Classifieds
Menu
Subscribe to the Daily Journal for access to Daily Appellate Reports, Verdicts, Judicial Profiles and more...

Oct. 14, 2026

Smiley's rulings trace limits of law from flagpoles to criminal courts

Justice Charles A. Smiley III has ruled on flag displays, criminal sentencing and probation conditions since joining the 1st District Court of Appeal after 18 years on the Alameda County bench.

Smiley's rulings trace limits of law from flagpoles to criminal courts
Justice Charles A. Smiley III

Arcata voters decided in 2022, by 270 votes, that the city should fly the Earth Flag -- the "Blue Marble" image photographed from Apollo 17 -- above every other flag on city flagpoles, including those of the United States and California.

The city went to court to learn whether it could comply. Justice Charles A. Smiley III of the 1st District Court of Appeal held it could not. State law requires the national flag to occupy the "position of first honor," and the ...

To continue reading, please subscribe.
For only $95 a month (the price of 2 article purchases)
Receive unlimited article access and full access to our archives,
Daily Appellate Report, award winning columns, and our
Verdicts and Settlements.
Or
$895, but save $100 when you subscribe today… Just $795 for the first year!

Or access this article for $45
(Purchase provides 7-day access to this article. Printing, posting or downloading is not allowed.)

Already a subscriber?

Enewsletter Sign-up