Jurisdiction and venue

Jurisdiction

PC778: When the commission of a public offense, commenced without the State, is consummated within its boundaries by a defendant, himself outside the State, through the intervention of an innocent or guilty agent or any other means proceeding directly from said defendant, he is liable to punishment therefor in this State in any competent court within the jurisdictional territory of which the offense is consummated.

California has jurisdiction over Internet crime committed outside California but having directed impact on California resident. (Hageseth v. Superior Court (2007) 150 Cal.App.4th 1399, 1419.)

Where a statute, in addition to prohibiting conduct, includes within its definition of the offense a specific result, the crime is not completed, and thus not “consummated” for jurisdictional statutes, until that result occurs. (Hageseth v. Superior Court (2007) 150 Cal.App.4th 1399.)

All persons who commit any crime in whole or in part within the state are liable to punishment under its laws, where defendant from Mexico mailed forged check on Arizona bank to bank in California, which sent check for collection to bank in Arizona, he was guilty of forgery and subject to punishment under California law.  (People v. Sansom (1918) 37 Cal.App. 435.)