EVERETT, Wash. (AP) — The Washington state Supreme Court this month unanimously rejected the notion that the fact that a man skipped his court date could be presented as evidence that he felt guilty about the original crime.
State Supreme Court justices agreed that criminalizing a single missed court date could disproportionately harm people of color or people without reliable transportation or scheduling conflicts.
The ruling came less than a year after the state Legislature revised the bail jumping law, which gives people more time to respond to a warrant. The case must now return to Snohomish County, where prosecutors can decide whether to try the case again.