Federal Lawsuit Challenging New Jersey Bail Reform Dismissed

A federal judge in New Jersey yesterday dismissed a lawsuit involving the Public Safety Assessment (PSA). The PSA is a risk assessment that helps judges assess the risk that someone will fail to appear for future court appearances or commit additional crimes and/​or violent crimes if released pending trial. Since 2017, it has been used as part of New Jersey’s broader bail reform efforts. In ordering the dismissal, the presiding judge ruled that the PSA is not a ​“product” for purposes of product liability law. United States District Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez also ruled that ​“the PSA does not supplant judicial decision making but merely informs a judge’s decision of whether to release or detain a defendant pending trial.”