Recommended Archives - Page 4 of 30 - Fines and Fees Justice Center

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 …

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 …

People Over Profits: A Truly Free, No Cost Tablet Program for Incarcerated People in San Francisco

Tablets are often utilized in jails and prisons to generate revenue from incarcerated individuals and their families, with high costs for the tablets and access to services making them unaffordable …

National Guide to Court Appearances

Missed court appearances are costly for both court systems and court users. Court users and their families may be assessed fines, arrested or serve jail time, while the system pays …

United States Department of Justice “Dear Colleague” Letter (revised and updated)

On April 20, 2023 the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, Office of Justice Programs, and Office for Access to Justice revised the 2016 Dear Colleague to include an updated discussion …

New Mexico HB 139: Eliminating Court Fees

The New Mexico Legislature approved a bill eliminating post-adjudication and bench warrant fees. The legislation also expands the definition of community service to encourage participation in job training, academic or …

New Mexico SB 47: Driver’s License Suspension Penalties

The New Mexico legislature passed a bill eliminating suspensions for failure to pay and failure to appear. The bill also requires the automatic reinstatement of licenses suspended solely for failure …

The impact of county-level fees & fines as exploitative revenue generation on US birth outcomes

In this study, researchers hypothesize that structural racism in the reliance on fines and fees becomes embodied, increasing the risk of preterm birth and low birthweight. Using 2012 Census of …