Washington State’s Pierce County held a Legal Financial Obligation (LFO) Reconsideration Day in September 2019, allowing individuals with outstanding LFOs to meet with attorneys and judges for potential reduction or dismissal of their court debt. Ultimately, $5.3 million in court debt was reduced or eliminated for 419 participants in a single day. Around 17 percent of participants saw their debt burden completely eliminated, averaging $3,645 per person. For the remaining 83 percent receiving partial relief, the average reduction was $5,898, with some individuals seeing reductions of over $100,000. The event produced psychological benefits alongside financial relief. Participant satisfaction was exceptionally high at 9.5 out of 10, with 84 percent reporting decreased stress and anxiety after the event. Trust in the justice system improved dramatically, with 89.7 percent reporting more positive opinions about the court system afterward. Nearly all participants (99.2 percent) said they would recommend the event to others with court debt.
The report concludes that LFO Reconsideration Days can effectively reduce outstanding legal debt and subsequent criminal legal system involvement, address over-reliance on fines and fees, and alleviate the significant social costs of court-ordered debt. For jurisdictions considering similar approaches, the Pierce County model offers a template for addressing court debt while rebuilding community trust in the justice system.
You can read the full text of the report here.
Key findings/Highlights
- Over 77 percent of participants reported at least one household expense they couldn’t afford due to LFO debt, with over half struggling to afford basic necessities like rent (57.3 percent), groceries (53.6 percent), and transportation (53.6 percent).
- Around 65 percent of participants reported annual incomes below $15,000, and 13 percent reported experiencing homelessness.
- Demographically, Black residents comprised 24.5 percent of participants while only representing 7.6 percent of the county population.
- Over 67 percent of participants had experienced driver’s license suspensions due to unpaid LFOs, and 34 percent had spent time in jail for inability to pay.
- Nine months after the event, participants showed slightly lower rates of new cases (14.3 percent) compared to non-participants (15.5 percent), suggesting the event did not increase subsequent system involvement.
- Volunteer attorneys unanimously agreed the event should be repeated, with many suggesting regular scheduling. They rated the fairness of the process highly (8.7/10) and described increased professional fulfillment from witnessing participants’ relief.
Recommendations
- Expand LFO Waiver Eligibility: Future LFO reconsideration events should consider waiving a broader range of LFOs, including traffic infractions and restitution, which were excluded from this event.
- Coordinate with State Licensing: Work with the State Department of Licensing to lift driver’s license suspensions resulting from unpaid LFOs.
- Improve Event Communications: Provide participants with better pre-event information about parking options and expected wait times.
- Regular Implementation: Consider holding LFO Reconsideration Days regularly (annually, bi-annually, or quarterly) given the significant social and economic benefits demonstrated.
- Recognize Importance of Pre-Event Preparation: Future events should maintain or enhance the substantial pre-event preparation, including pre-registration, pre-arranged agreements with judges, volunteer court runners, and preparation of defendant files and motions were key factors in the event’s success.