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 …
America’s Dystopian Incarceration System of Pay to Stay Behind Bars
As the number of people sentenced to terms of incarceration in jails and prisons rose, government agencies found themselves unable to pay the costs. To offset the costs, policymakers and …
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 …
Roberts Webb et al. v. City of Maplewood
On March 6, 2023, a federal judge approved a $3.25 million settlement in this class-action lawsuit brought against the City of Maplewood, Missouri. The suit alleged that the City regularly …