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Calif. high court: No judges, no cases
RIVERSIDE, Calif., -- The California Supreme Court Monday unanimously upheld the dismissal of 18 cases in Riverside County, two of them felonies, because of a shortage of judges.
County Deputy Public Defender William A. Meronek said the ruling also helps defendants in another 300 Riverside County criminal cases on appeal after being dismissed previously for the same reason, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald M. George said Riverside County's "congested criminal caseload represented a chronic" problem" and blamed state lawmakers for the situation, the Times reported.
"The lack of available courtrooms and judges was attributable to the Legislature's failure to provide a number of judges and courtrooms sufficient to meet the rapidly growing population in Riverside County," George wrote for the court.
The issue came before the state's highest court after prosecutors appealed a trial judge's dismissal of charges in 18 cases in which the defendants declined to waive their rights to a speedy trial and no courtrooms were open.
RIVERSIDE, Calif., -- The California Supreme Court Monday unanimously upheld the dismissal of 18 cases in Riverside County, two of them felonies, because of a shortage of judges.
County Deputy Public Defender William A. Meronek said the ruling also helps defendants in another 300 Riverside County criminal cases on appeal after being dismissed previously for the same reason, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald M. George said Riverside County's "congested criminal caseload represented a chronic" problem" and blamed state lawmakers for the situation, the Times reported.
"The lack of available courtrooms and judges was attributable to the Legislature's failure to provide a number of judges and courtrooms sufficient to meet the rapidly growing population in Riverside County," George wrote for the court.
The issue came before the state's highest court after prosecutors appealed a trial judge's dismissal of charges in 18 cases in which the defendants declined to waive their rights to a speedy trial and no courtrooms were open.
