On May 10, the California Court of Appeals heard 30 minutes of argument in Ni v Slocum, A128721. This is the case over whether electronic signatures can ever be considered valid on California initiative and referendum petitions. This story was written before the hearing and explains more about the case. At the hearing, the three judges seemed to show a reluctance to grapple with the technical issues, and seemed to believe that the matter is too complicated for the judicial branch, and that it is best left to the legislative branch.