California Supreme Court Ruling Limits Use of Cash Bail in Pretrial Detention
The California Supreme Court has issued a unanimous ruling that limits the use of cash bail in pretrial detention, emphasizing that pretrial liberty should be the norm. The decision stems from the case of Gerald Kowalczyk, who was detained due to an unaffordable bail amount despite being charged with a nonviolent offense. The court's ruling mandates that bail must be set at a reasonable amount, reflecting the defendant's financial circumstances, and cannot be used as a de facto detention order. This decision builds on the 2021 Humphrey precedent, which declared wealth-based detention unconstitutional. 
