Getting started with pretrial reform
A new path to promoting pretrial reform
Effective pretrial reform is vital to enhancing public safety, improving court appearance rates, and creating a more equitable justice system. It helps ensure fairer treatment by reducing reliance on cash bail, which often has a disproportionate impact on low-income individuals and communities of color.
Our updated "Pretrial Reform Toolkit" explores efforts to refine pretrial practices, and we have also introduced a bench card that helps judges determine the ability of people to pay their legal financial obligations.
Who should read this?
- Judges & court administrators: Learn more about approaches to reform and ensuring fair financial practices
- Policymakers & legislators: Use the data provided to help guide justice system improvements
- Attorneys & advocates: Support clients, especially those with low incomes or from communities of color, affected by fines, fees, and pretrial policies
Why this report matters
Legal fines and fees can have disproportionate impacts, which in turn limit access to justice. Our reform toolkit and bench card can help your court create more equitable and effective pretrial policies.
Estimated report reading time: 45 minutes or longer
Key takeaways
Reforms in action
States such as New Jersey, Arizona, and Delaware are leading efforts to modernize pretrial practices, with New Jersey dismissing 877,000 outdated court cases by March 2024.
New tools for courts
Our updated toolkit and bench card can help courts explore and implement best practices and equitable policies for pretrial reform.
Focus on fairness
Our resources emphasize ability-to-pay determinations, juvenile case reforms, and reducing unnecessary financial barriers in the justice system.
Voices on pretrial reform
These reform efforts demonstrate how states can promote fair and equitable access to justice by effectively managing pretrial legal financial obligations and pretrial detention.
Laurie Givens
Vice President for Court Consulting Services, NCSC
We hope jurisdictions will utilize these resources and educational materials to inform their efforts to reform how they manage fines, fees, and pretrial practices.
Nathan Hecht
Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice (Ret.)
A pivotal time for pretrial reform
Public trust and fairness are key tenets for state courts, and the National Task Force on Fines, Fees, and Pretrial Practices 2.0 was created to help ensure legal and financial obligations and pretrial detention are handled more equitably. Supported by a State Justice Institute grant, this joint effort of the Conference of Chief Justices, Conference of State Court Administrators, and NCSC has created tools aimed at expanding access to justice.
Explore how courts are navigating reform
Learn how other states are implementing pretrial reforms and see what your court can do. See how judges are approaching ability-to-pay decisions in their courts. Discover new and updated products and reforms happening in state courts.
