California v. Superior Court of California
United States Supreme Court
482 U.S. 400 (1987)
After a prolonged interstate custody dispute in which his ex-wife's family repeatedly relocated with his daughters to defeat his visitation and custody rights, Richard (with his father Gerard) eventually located and retrieved the children pursuant to a California custody order; Louisiana then charged Richard and Gerard with kidnapping, and its governor demanded their extradition from California. The Smolins sought habeas relief in California Superior Court (defendant) to block extradition, arguing they weren't properly charged with a crime since Richard held lawful custody under California's decrees; the Superior Court granted relief, the court of appeal reversed via writ of mandate, the California Supreme Court reversed that, and the U.S. Supreme Court granted certiorari.
Whether, under the Extradition Act, an asylum state's courts may look beyond the four narrow procedural questions the Act permits to inquire into whether the accused was properly or substantively charged with a crime in the demanding state.