Boykin Tahl Waiver

When a defendant enters into a “guilty” or “no contest” plea he or she must make a knowing and voluntary waiver of the right to a jury trial, the right to confront witnesses and the right against self-incrimination, otherwise the plea is not valid and unconstitutional. A waiver of these three rights is known as a Boykin-Tahl waiver.

[See Boykin v. Alabama (1969) 395 U.S. 238 and In re Tahl (1969) 1 Cal.3d 122].