Judge Shortage Leads to 1,600 Recent Cases Dismissed, Many Felonies, in California County

Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin speaks at a press conference in Riverside, Calif., on Jan. 18, 2018. David McNew/Getty Images

The Riverside County Superior Court dismissed 96 cases in the past week, four of which were felonies, due to a lack of available judges, according to the county District Attorney’s office.

Three of the recent dismissals were felony child sexual assault cases, including one—dismissed Jan. 26—where a conviction would have resulted in a possible life sentence, the DA’s office reported.