SANTA ANA, Calif. — A judge at the Santa Ana Central Justice Center set bail at $5,000 during a Friday arraignment despite concerns raised by the defense that the accused could not afford to pay, rejecting a request for conditional release with mandatory Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.
The accused, facing two separate counts of driving under the influence, pleaded not guilty to both charges. Assistant Public Defender Aracely Ruvalcaba represented her during the hearing before Judge Carmen Snuggs-Spraggins.
Ruvalcaba requested that her client be released under conditions requiring attendance at Alcoholics Anonymous meetings rather than being required to post monetary bail.
Deputy District Attorney Julia Skyhar opposed the request, arguing that the two DUI arrests occurred within two months of each other and that the accused posed a “danger to the community.”
Skyhar requested bail of $2,500 on each count, for a total of $5,000.
Ruvalcaba challenged the proposed amount, telling the court that her client’s financial circumstances would leave her with “no disposable income to post bail.”
According to Ruvalcaba, the accused earned approximately $4,000 per month but faced substantial financial obligations, including car payments, student loans and approximately $15,000 in credit card debt.
Despite those financial concerns, Snuggs-Spraggins granted the prosecution’s request and set bail at $5,000.
The decision came after the defense proposed nonmonetary release conditions intended to address public safety concerns without requiring a financial payment.
Under California law, courts must consider a defendant’s ability to pay when setting monetary bail, along with public safety, the seriousness of the charges and the likelihood of returning to court.
In its 2021 decision in In re Humphrey, the California Supreme Court held that courts generally may not condition pretrial freedom on a monetary amount a person cannot afford without considering less restrictive alternatives and making the findings required by law.
The accused is scheduled to return to court for a bail hearing Nov. 6.
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