Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Judge: September bail-law change 'took away discretion,' increasing pretrial detentions and pressure on treatment court
Summary
Superior Court Judge Ann Edwards told Cheshire County commissioners that a September 2025 change to the state bail law raised the standard for detention to probable cause, curbed judicial discretion and has increased stays at the House of Corrections; she urged use of pretrial services and expanded continuing care after treatment-court graduation.
Judge Ann Edwards, who joined the superior court in Cheshire County in October 2024, told commissioners at their May 6 meeting that local civil cases are reaching disposition faster than in neighboring counties and that recent changes to bail law have reshaped pretrial practices.
"It took away discretion," Edwards said of the September 2025 change, adding that the statute now requires prosecutors to show by probable cause that a defendant is dangerous to the community or unlikely to appear before continued detention is ordered.…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
