SF Trial Backlog

SF Superior Court Denying Speedy Trials & Liberty

Every accused person in criminal court has the constitutional right to a speedy trial and is presumed innocent. However, since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, San Francisco Superior Court has adopted a practice of “continuing” criminal cases for months past the trial deadline, creating a massive backlog of criminal trials. While California state law prioritizes trials for people being held in custody, San Francisco has continued to use nearly half of its limited courtroom space to hold jury trials in non-urgent civil cases. As a direct consequence, hundreds of community members have languished in jail, many locked in cramped cells for 23 hours a day, while the Court continues to delay their trials. Some have been locked up for a year or more past their trial deadlines. Each additional day of incarceration and delay exacts an irreversible toll on people awaiting trial and their families, whether that is the loss of a job, housing, or family stability.

The San Francisco Public Defender’s Office, which represents the vast majority of those whose speedy trial rights are being violated, has taken a number of measures to stoke the Court into action to address this untenable backlog. On this page, you will find references to some of those efforts, and this page will continue to be updated. The full Fact Sheet below has the most current data on the backlog.

Please contact us at PubDef-MediaRelations@sfgov.org if you have further inquiry.


DOCUMENTS

In September 2021, San Francisco Public Defender Mano Raju joined a group of taxpayers that included mothers of incarcerated adults who were being held in custody pretrial. Together, they filed a lawsuit against San Francisco Superior Court. The lawsuit was announced at a rally on the steps of the Hall of Justice / 850 Bryant where attorneys and impacted family members spoke out about the egregious trial delays, addressing the Court’s violation of the rights and liberty of hundreds of people in San Francisco County Jail.

COMPLAINT FOR DECLARATORY AND INJUNCTIVE RELIEF AND VERIFIED PETITION FOR WRIT OF MANDATE
MEMORANDUM OF POINTS AND AUTHORITIES IN SUPPORT OF PETITIONERS’ MOTION FOR PEREMPTORY WRIT OF MANDATE
PETITIONERS’ NOTICE OF MOTION AND MOTION FOR PEREMPTORY WRIT OF MANDATE

Press Release from 9/21/21

MEDIA COVERAGE

PRESS CONFERENCE GALLERY