To Bail or Not to Bail: Protecting the Presumption of Innocence in Nevada (2019)

In 2016, Leslie Turner was arrested in North Las Vegas, Nevada because she failed to pay for a traffic ticket. In the months prior, Ms. Turner struggled to keep her head above water. Her son was born two months premature, which resulted in after-birth complications, and was also diagnosed with Clonus, “a condition that results in involuntary muscle spasms sometimes caused by an underdeveloped nervous system.” Ms. Turner relied on the help of her mother and Clark County Social Services after the birth of her son so that she could continue to care for her son and maintain her monthly housing expenses. However, her unpaid traffic tickets remained a problem during this difficult time. Nevada is one of thirteen states that treat traffic violations as criminal infractions. When she missed a payment, Ms. Turner called the court to explain her extenuating circumstances, but she was “told she would either have to attend court or turn herself in.”