FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 20, 2023
CONTACT: San Francisco Public Defender PIO Valerie Ibarra | (628) 249-7946 | PubDef-MediaRelations@sfgov.org
**MEDIA ADVISORY**
SF Public Defender’s Office Continues “Summer Sit-Ins” to Draw Attention to Worsening Trial Backlog;
Seventh in Series to Focus on Legal Challenges to the Backlog
NOTE SPECIAL LOCATION: Civic Center Courthouse, 400 McAllister St.
More than 1,100 trials are delayed past their Constitutionally mandated deadline, with 115 people languishing in SF jail subject to near-lockdown conditions and no sunlight.
WHAT:
The San Francisco Public Defender’s Office is holding its seventh “Summer Sit-in” in a series of planned demonstrations taking place every Friday in front of city courthouses to draw attention to San Francisco Superior Court’s severe and worsening trial backlog. Tomorrow’s (July 21st) Summer Sit-In will address legal challenges the SF Public Defender’s office has launched against the SF Superior Court backlog and will take place in front of the Civic Center Courthouse at 400 McAllister St. This courthouse is where misdemeanor trials take place, and despite a backlog of over 900 overdue misdemeanor cases, only two courtrooms there have been allotted to hold misdemeanor trials.
Currently, one of those two is empty while a judge is on vacation without a replacement.
The trial backlog is denying more than 1,100 individuals of their Constitutional right to a speedy trial, and 115 of these individuals are languishing in San Francisco jail for months and even years past their trial deadlines, subject to near-lockdown conditions and no sunlight. San Francisco Superior Court has failed to meaningfully address the growing trial backlog or to dismiss overdue cases, as other counties have done.
To draw attention to this ongoing crisis, staffers from the San Francisco Public Defender’s office and community allies are gathering in front of various city courthouses on eight consecutive Fridays from noon to 1 p.m. to hold up large posters displaying the latest number of individuals deprived of their Constitutional trial rights and pass out factsheets to educate the public about the trial delays and ongoing litigation efforts.
Here is a press release about our Summer Sit-Ins series: https://sfpublicdefender.org/news/2023/06/9802/For additional information about the San Francisco Superior Court backlog, please visit https://sfpublicdefender.org/open-sf-courts-now.
WHEN:TOMORROW: July 21, 2023 and continuing through Friday, July 28.
WHERE:TOMORROW: In front of the Civic Center Courthouse at 400 McAllister St.July 28: In front of the Hall of Justice at 850 Bryant St.
WHO:Speakers will include Sujung Kim, managing attorney for the San Francisco Public Defender’s Research Unit and Deputy Public Defender Zach Waterman from the Misdemeanor Unit.
VISUALS: Large posters with trial backlog statistics; People chanting; People handing out Know-Your-Rights cards, Speakers giving remarks.
###
———-
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 22, 2023
CONTACT:
Jessie Seyfer, SF Public Defender’s Office | (415) 851-2212 | PubDef-MediaRelations@sfgov.org
**MEDIA ADVISORY**
SF Public Defender’s Office Continues “Summer Sit-Ins” to Draw Attention to Worsening Trial Backlog; Third in Series to Focus on LGBTQ+ Community
More than 1,100 trials are delayed past their Constitutionally mandated deadline, with 115 people languishing in SF jail subject to near-lockdown conditions and no sunlight.
WHAT: The San Francisco Public Defender’s Office is holding its third “Summer Sit-in” in a series of planned demonstrations taking place every Friday on the steps of the Hall of Justice at 850 Bryant St. to draw attention to San Francisco Superior Court’s severe and worsening trial backlog. In honor of Pride Month and the Trans March, this Friday’s Summer Sit-In is hosted by the SF Public Defender’s Office LGBTQ Affinity Group, and will address the impact of trial delays on LGBTQ+ community members.
The trial backlog is denying more than 1,100 individuals of their Constitutional right to a speedy trial, and 115 of these individuals are languishing in San Francisco jail for months and even years past their trial deadlines, subject to near-lockdown conditions and no sunlight. The courts have failed to meaningfully address the growing trial backlog or to dismiss overdue cases, as other counties have done.
To draw attention to this ongoing crisis, staffers from the San Francisco Public Defender’s office and community allies will gather on the steps of the 850 Bryant St. Hall of Justice on eight consecutive Fridays from noon to 1 p.m. to hold up large posters displaying the latest number of individuals deprived of their Constitutional trial rights and pass out factsheets to educate the public about the trial delays and ongoing litigation efforts.
Here is a press release about our Summer Sit-Ins series: https://sfpublicdefender.org/news/2023/06/9802/
For additional information about the San Francisco Superior Court backlog, please visit https://sfpublicdefender.org/open-sf-courts-now.
WHEN:
TOMORROW: June 23, 2023 and continuing through Friday, July 28.
WHERE:
On the steps of the San Francisco Hall of Justice
850 Bryant Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
WHO:
The speaker at tomorrow’s Summer Sit-Ins session will be San Francisco Deputy Public Defender Jared Rudolph. Staffers from the SF Public Defender’s office will also be present.
VISUALS: Large posters with statistics; People chanting; speakers giving remarks at a podium.
###
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 8, 2023
CONTACT:
Jessie Seyfer, SF Public Defender’s Office | (415) 851-2212 | PubDef-MediaRelations@sfgov.org
**MEDIA ADVISORY**
SF Public Defender’s Office Launches “Summer Sit-Ins” to Draw Attention to Worsening Trial Backlog
More than 1,100 trials are delayed past their Constitutionally mandated deadline, with 115 people languishing in SF jail subject to near-lockdown conditions and no sunlight.
WHAT: The San Francisco Public Defender’s Office is launching “Summer Sit-ins,” a series of demonstrations taking place every Friday this summer at the 850 Bryant St. Hall of Justice to draw attention to San Francisco Superior Court’s severe and worsening trial backlog. The backlog is denying more than 1,100 individuals of their Constitutional right to a speedy trial, and 115 of these individuals are languishing in San Francisco jail for months and even years past their trial deadlines, subject to near-lockdown conditions and no sunlight. The courts have failed to meaningfully address the growing trial backlog or to dismiss overdue cases, as other counties have done. To draw attention to this ongoing crisis, staffers from the San Francisco Public Defender’s office and community allies will gather on the steps of the 850 Bryant St. Hall of Justice on eight consecutive Fridays from noon to 1 p.m. to hold up large posters displaying the latest number of individuals deprived of their Constitutional trial rights and to pass out factsheets educating the public about the trial delays.
WHEN:
Eight consecutive Fridays from noon to 1 p.m., starting TOMORROW (Friday, June 9) through Friday, July 28.
WHERE:
On the steps of the San Francisco Hall of Justice
850 Bryant Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
WHO:
Staffers from the San Francisco Public Defender’s office; Public Defender Mano Raju will attend several sessions.
VISUALS: Large posters with statistics; People chanting.
Note: For more information about the San Francisco Superior Court backlog, please visit https://sfpublicdefender.org/open-sf-courts-now.
