New to Clearinghouse Archives - Page 8 of 14 - Fines and Fees Justice Center

The Burden of Court Debt on Washingtonians

The majority of Washingtonians assessed legal financial obligations (LFOs) meet state indigency standards, and their low payment rates suggest their debts are uncollectible. In Washington, the inability to pay criminal …

Policy Blueprint For Ending Carceral Profiteering

Each year, over 4,000 private corporations generate $80 billion by exploiting incarcerated people’s need to stay in contact with their loved ones and access medical care, quality food, and hygiene …

Parham v. D.C.

Issue Starting in October of 2023, the District of Columbia will stop denying residents the ability to renew their driver’s license if they have outstanding debt to the city, including …

Assessments and Surcharges: A 50-State Survey of Supplemental Fees

Examining statutes and rules from all 50 states and D.C, this new report uncovers a system of hidden taxes that are assessed in nearly every criminal, traffic or local ordinance …

State of Washington v. Eyman

Issue Whether courts must consider a person’s ability to pay a fine when determining whether the fine is excessive under the Excessive Fines Clause of the U.S. Constitution and the …

2022 Final Report to the Governor, Legislature, and Supreme Court

Recommendations by the Michigan Joint Task Force on Jail and Pretrial Incarceration to decrease Michigan’s jail population led to the establishment of the Michigan Jail Reform Advisory Council (JRAC). JRAC …

Increasing Justice In New York: How New York Could Go From Failing to First in the Nation on the Fines and Fees Justice Index

With dozens of fees and fines at every stage of the legal system, New York has created a two-tiered justice system that engulfs low-income people in the criminal legal system. …