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It’s not only housing prices that are sky high in San Francisco. The city’s public defender, Jeff Adachi, is leading a campaign to highlight what one study found were among the highest bail levels in the state.

“The judges here set bails like they are announcing the next jackpot in the lottery,” Mr. Adachi said. “It’s typical to see $50,000 or a $100,000 bail.”

In January, Mr. Adachi was emboldened by a California Court of Appeal decision that cast doubt on the practice of setting bail above what defendants can pay. The ruling says a “defendant may not be imprisoned solely due to poverty.”

The case that prompted the landmark ruling involved Kenneth Humphrey, 64, who was accused of following a 79-year-old disabled man into his apartment in San Francisco, threatening to put a pillow case over his head and demanding money. Mr. Humphrey, who has a history of substance abuse and multiple prior felony convictions, stole $5 and a bottle of cologne from the man.