The Riverside County Superior Court dismissed 96 cases in the past week, four of which were felonies, primarily due to a lack of available judges, according to the county District Attorney’s office.
Three of the recent dismissals were felony child sexual assault cases, including one—dismissed Jan. 26—where a conviction would have resulted in a possible life sentence, the DA’s office reported.
The courtroom shortage is a result of judges who were ill, or had other commitments, such as court proceedings or judicial training for those who have been recently appointed, according to the DA’s office.
“I understand the need for ongoing training, however, when our courts are experiencing a crisis and engaging in the mass dismissal of cases, victims of crime deserve the right to be the priority,” Riverside County DA Mike Hestrin said in a statement Jan. 31. “The courts being aware of this shortage of courtrooms should be able to anticipate the needs of public safety and reschedule their trainings until the courts are fully operational.”…