ALAMEDA, Calif. — An Alameda County Superior Court judge has allowed a legal challenge to proceed against the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) over its decades-long practice of withholding “gate money” from people released from prison, according to an article by Salahi.
The ruling, issued April 1, 2026, held that CDCR cannot dismiss or discard the main claims against it, keeping alive a case that alleges the agency has systematically shortchanged tens of thousands of people leaving prison.
The lawsuit, brought by plaintiffs represented by UC Berkeley Law’s Criminal Law & Justice Center and Salahi PC, argues that refunds should be made under California Penal Code section 2713.1, which requires the agency to provide funds to individuals upon release…