Holding Judges Accountable in San Mateo County
Civil Rights Corps worked with an amazing group of organizers at Silicon Valley De-Bug and law professor Lara Bazelon on an ethics complaint alleging judicial misconduct in San Mateo County, California. The complaint, citing court transcripts, court watchers’ observations, and local and statewide reports, was filed in August 2024, alleging that multiple judges and judicial officers committed misconduct by unconstitutionally setting unaffordable money bail on multiple occasions.
Silicon Valley De-Bug filed the complaint with the Presiding Judge of the San Mateo County Superior Court because the Presiding Judge is responsible for supervising commissioners, assigning judges and reporting misconduct.
While finding that “in the majority of cases,” judicial officers acted appropriately, the Presiding Judge took an unspecified corrective action “[t]o the extent that any judicial officer” was not properly setting bail. The Presiding Judge also advised that the following changes occurred after the filing of the complaint:
- Defense attorneys were being given much more time to meet with their incarcerated clients before arraignment to prepare for the hearing;
- The Presiding Judge provided a “Humphrey checklist” to all judicial officers; and
- Separate counsel for co-defendants were provided at the arraignment hearing—before the complaint, judges had allowed the one attorney to represent multiple people accused in the same case at arraignment, even when there was a conflict of interest.
Media Coverage:
San Mateo County courts are violating bail laws, complaint alleges | San Mateo Daily Journal | Sep 30, 2024
Civil rights groups say San Mateo County courts are ignoring bail-reform mandate | San Jose Mercury News | Aug 26, 2024
Partners:
Professor Lara Bazelon
Complaint:
Exhibits provided upon request to accountability@civilrightscorps.org.
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