Updates

Bail reform is one of the hot topics across the country right now.  In trying to address problems in the criminal justice system, some have opted for eliminating the current bail system without a full understanding of who bail protects and why it was established in the first place.  Bail has been around for centuries, […]

Stockton’s former Mayor Anthony Silva was released on bail in the early hours of the morning Friday, March 23, 2018.  According to authorities, he was arrested for allegedly violating the terms of his probation by possessing an AR-15-type automatic rifle.  The embattled Mayor was on probation for providing alcohol to persons under the age of

Today’s headlines are flooded with bail reform stories.  Recently the Attorney General declined to appeal a San Francisco judge’s decision to release a defendant on his own recognizance after he had been held on $350k bail.  According to the headlines, the defendant was being held on an egregious amount of money when he stole an

The House Judiciary Committee passed the Citizens’ Right to Know Act (H.R. 2152) guaranteeing oversight of pre-trial release programs.  The Act, sponsored by Representative Ted Poe (R-Texas), requires pre-trial release programs to provide Congress with information on how federal funds and grants are being used.  Pre-trial services across the nation receive a significant amount of

A husband and wife were arrested after sheriffs discovered their three children had been living in a box in the desert for years.  The three children, 11, 13 and 14 were living in a plywood box for the past 4 years.  They were found without sufficient good according to Children and Family Services.  Mona Kirk,

When people talk about bail reform success, many point to New Jersey as a glowing example of how it should work.  Unfortunately, all that glitters is not gold.  The Bail Reform and Speedy Trial Act recently has officially been on the books for over a year.  To its credit, the Act has helped to reduce

21-year-old Ronnie Ramon Huerta Jr. was allegedly driving on a suspended license when he struck several cyclists participating in a charity ride near Palm Springs.  According to law enforcement, Huerta was going 100 mph in a 55-mph zone when he lost control of his vehicle.  Mark Kristofferson, 49, was fatally injured.  Two other cyclists riding

Many people point to New Jersey as a glowing standard in bail reform.  The reality is that 31-year-old Tiffany Wilson would still be alive if New Jersey had listened to the real concerns presented by law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, judges and other critics of the reform.  Wilson’s boyfriend Kareem Dawson was released on his own

Senate Bill 556, Criminal Justice Reform and Economics Act of 2018 , was introduced to the New Hampshire Senate Judiciary Committee in January 2018.  The bill proposes changes to bail setting procedures including releasing most people on their own recognizance without the requirement of a secured bond.  The legislation requires that a court “shall not