Cornerstone Research assisted the ACLU in retrieving and classifying data on the alleged offense, bail amount set, and case outcome.
Retained by the ACLU
The ACLU filed a lawsuit on behalf of individuals jailed in Galveston County, Texas, and who cannot afford to post bail. The suit alleged that bail amounts were set without due consideration of whether the arrested party can afford to post bail, which resulted in extended periods of pre-trial detention.
The court issued a preliminary injunction requiring the county to provide defense counsel at initial bail hearings.
Cornerstone Research worked with the ACLU on an initial phase of this pro bono matter related to a preliminary injunction filing. Cornerstone Research assisted counsel in retrieving and classifying data on the alleged offense, bail amount set, and case outcome. Paul Zurek of Cornerstone Research submitted a report to the court on the methods used to collect and process the data, and subsequently testified in deposition.
In September 2019, the court issued a preliminary injunction requiring the county to provide defense counsel at initial bail hearings.