New to Clearinghouse Archives - Page 7 of 17 - Fines and Fees Justice Center

Predatory Fines and Fees: Revenue, Fiscal Contrition, and Policy Change

Some local jurisdictions are beginning to grapple with the social costs and individual harms associated with monetary sanctions and how they can become less reliant on them. This report clarifies …

Taken for a Ride: How Excessive Ticketing Propels Alabama Drivers Into A Cycle of Debt, Incarceration, and Poverty

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) provides additional funding to law enforcement agencies implementing programs to deter dangerous driving. As a condition, agencies must report the …

Why Automated Speed Cameras Disproportionately Affect Black and Brown Drivers

Automated traffic enforcement is active in nearly 200 communities nationwide. In Chicago, Illinois, speed cameras have been in place since 2013. In 2023, the city generated an extra $120 million …

New Jersey A5587: Eliminates fees, liens, and warrants issued for Public Defender services

New Jersey Mayor Phil Murphy signed a bill eliminating fees, liens, and warrants associated with public defender services in the state. The new law also applies retroactively to all unpaid …

Litigation Victory Signals End to California Courts’ Illegal Late Fees That Penalized Poverty for Profit – $550 Million to $1 Billion Erased

For years, California courts have burdened low-income people with unlawful civil assessments. The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area, ACLU Foundation of Northern California, and …

City of Whitefish v. Curran

Issues 1. Can a court impose a fine on someone with a demonstrated inability to pay? 2. Is it an abuse of discretion to fail to offer alternatives to a …

State v. Brophy

Issues 1. Is the protection provided by the Excessive Fines Clause of the Eighth Amendment applicable to the states under Timbs v. Indiana? 2. Did the lower court properly rule …

Arizona Senate Bill 1197: Juvenile offenders; monetary sanctions; repeal

Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs signed a bill eliminating juvenile fees. Juveniles with previously assessed fees can apply to have their debt waived. The bill also prohibits juvenile courts from considering …

Tyler v. Hennepin County, Minnesota, et al.

In a unanimous opinion, the U.S. Supreme Court holds that local governments seeking forfeiture of property as compensation for a public debt may not profit from it beyond the amount …

Fines and Financial Wellbeing

Unplanned financial shocks can have long-term effects on household finances. This article explores whether households can absorb unanticipated shocks by estimating the impacts of fines for traffic violations on household …