Red Hills Community Probation, LLC contracted with local governments to supervise probation. Defendants unable to pay their court fines and fees were placed on probation. At the courthouse, probation officers threatened individuals with jail if they failed to make a payment. Further, Red Hills informed probationers who finished their probationary periods but still owed fines and fees that they could be jailed for failing to report to and pay their outstanding debt to Red Hills.
Status
Consent order issued on February 1, 2016. It includes:
- Creation of a new Standing order for probation supervision which prohibits officers from threatening arrest when the probationer is unable to pay fines and fees.
- Creation of policy allowing inmates to earn credit for good behavior.
- Consent order to remain in force for four years and may be amended by motion.
You can read the full text of relevant court documents via the Southern Center for Human Rights and the Civil Rights Litigation Clearinghouse.
Causes of action: 42 USC § 1983 (alleging due process and equal protection violations)
Docket Number: No. 1:15-00067 (M.D. Ga. 2015)
Date of Complaint: April 10, 2015
Counsel for the Plaintiff: Southern Center for Human Rights