Daniel McDonald (name altered for privacy) is a 23-year-old plumber from Beaumont who lived with his girlfriend and their two daughters, a 4-year-old and a 3-month-old. McDonald had received several traffic tickets, including many for driving without a license, which he could not obtain due to financial holds. When McDonald went to court to take care of his tickets, the judge refused to give him community service even though McDonald lived below the poverty line. Instead, the judge put him on a payment plan for $50 a month. McDonald managed to keep up with the payment plan for only three months before he fell behind. Capias warrants were issued, and on Aug. 12, 2015, Williams was arrested. He was booked into the Jefferson County Jail but did not see a judge. Nobody told him how long he would be in jail. His 4-year-old daughter’s very first day of school was on Aug. 24, and he had promised he would walk her to class. Williams was not released until Aug. 27. His home was robbed while he was in jail, and he blamed himself for being gone.
Source: Pay or Stay report