State high court denies ex Santa Clara County sheriff’s appeal of career-ending conviction

THE CALIFORNIA SUPREME Court won’t hear former Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith’s appeal of a case that disqualified her from holding public office.

The high court denied Smith’s petition for review on June 18, records show. It comes after jurors in a 2022 civil trial found Smith guilty of six corruption and willful misconduct charges, determining her office engaged in a pay-to-play scheme when granting gun permits to friends and political donors. Smith appealed the case, and argued that by retiring prior to being found guilty the removal proceedings that barred her from her job and jury service were no longer necessary.