HB1509

This bill is designed to hold Justices and court officials accountable. Across this state, there has been more and more negligent decisions being made by our justices with no accountability. If a complaint is made against a justice or court official, it goes to a judicial committee that is made up of other judges and their family members. Justices need to listen to victims and witnesses prior to releasing a person who has been criminally charged with a violent crime. Justices need to review the person's past criminal history and tendency for violence. When a justice releases a person on PR bail that has a criminal history involving violence and the victim in a case tell a justice they are in fear for their safety or life, a justice needs to listen to this. If not, that is negligence and they need to be held accountable. Look at the case in Berlin where the justice released a violent criminal on bail and he went and killed the victim. The justice knew this was a concern of the victim and still released the person on bail. Justices need to be held accountable like any other public servant for negligence.

This would require judicial officers to make wiser decisions about certain criminal bail decisions.