The significant increase in San Bernardino County’s population could have some 
unexpected consequences in many criminal cases. In the past 30 years, San Bernardino has seen its population grow by 37%. Despite this increase, the county continues to experience a lack of judges to match this population. Although the county has assessed a need for 126 judicial positions, it only has 88 that are currently authorized and funded. This means that San Bernardino County is operating with less than 70% of the judges it needs. Consequently, the shortage of judicial staff has led to many serious criminal cases not being heard in a timely matter and has seen a larger backlog of criminal cases.
The Impact of a New Bail Law
The pressure that San Bernardino County’s judicial system is experiencing is likely to increase even further should California voters approve SB 10 in 2020. The legislation, which would remove cash bail for arrestees, would instead require a risk assessment system in order to determine whether individuals would be eligible for release from custody. As a result, if SB 10 gets approved by voters in 2020, its effects would require even more judicial staff in order to accommodate the additional workload, as each criminal case would need to receive even more thorough examinations when a person is arrested.
How Would This Affect You?
The impact that these changes could have on the San Bernardino County court system could greatly benefit you in your criminal case, and may even lead to the dismissal of your charges. When a Wallin & Klarich criminal defense attorney is hired to represent someone facing a serious case in San Bernardino, it is often a good strategy to demand that our client’s case be set for trial in what is known as the “Statutory Period.” This means that we are demanding that our client’s case be heard promptly, which forces the prosecution to take a closer look at the facts of the case. In some instances, this may lead to the prosecution either agreeing to drop the case or making a very favorable offer which would lead to an outstanding result for our client. In other cases it could lead to the charges being dismissed in full.
Contact a Wallin & Klarich Criminal Defense Attorney in San Bernardino, CA
When your lawyer pushes the case towards trial, this usually means that a prosecuting attorney must decide to select one case out of several to take to trial. They may then have to agree to a dismissal of our client’s case if the prosecutor believes that they have a stronger case in a different matter.
It is very important to have a law firm like Wallin & Klarich fighting for you if you are facing a criminal case in San Bernardino. Our attorneys know the “ins and outs” of the court, as well as when it is a good idea to push your case forward and when to delay your case in order to obtain the best resolution possible. With over 35 years’ worth of experience, we know that any criminal charge can have devastating consequences.
Call us today at (909) 383-1867 for a free phone consultation. We will be there when you call.
