News

Nickels and Dimes? Rethinking the Imposition of Special Assessment Fee on Indigent Defendants

No fine is imposed if the judge determines the defendant lacks the ability to pay any fine, but every defendant is required to pay a special assessment fee of $100 …

The Future of Felon Disenfranchisement Reform: Evidence from the Campaign to Restore Voting Rights in Florida

In 2018, Amendment 4 sought to end felon disenfranchisement in Florida. This article outlines the history of Amendment 4 and shows how unpaid fines and fees undermined the campaign’s efforts. …

Minors Facing Major Debt: The Immense Burden of Court Fees on Macomb County Youth and Families

The Michigan Center for Youth Justice (MCYJ), in partnership with the National Center for Youth Law and the 16th Judicial Division, developed an innovation site in Macomb County, Michigan. In …

Colorado House Bill 21-1314

Colorado passed a bill repealing the authority of the Department of Revenue to cancel, renew or reinstate a driver’s license for failure to pay an outstanding monetary judgement. The bill also prohibits …

The True Cost of Criminal Justice Debt: Examining the Public Health Implications of Legal Financial Obligations

Public health experts have identified criminal justice debt as a social and environmental factor impacting individuals’ and their families’ physical and mental health. Low-income individuals who are disproportionately represented in …

Connecticut Senate Bill 972: An Act Concerning Communication Services In Correctional And Juvenile Detention Facilities

The Connecticut Legislature passed a bill requiring the Commissioner of Correction to provide free voice communication service to all individuals confined in a correctional or juvenile detention facility, and prohibits …

Colorado HB21-1315: Concerning eliminating certain monetary amounts a juvenile in the justice system is required to pay.

Colorado recently passed a bill that eliminates a number of costs and fees that a juvenile and their families were previously required to pay. The bill also discharges all outstanding …

Michigan House Bills No. 4987–4991

The Michigan legislature introduced a package of bills that would prohibit juvenile courts from assessing and collecting fines and fees from juveniles or their families. The bills eliminate diversion program …

MN HF 10

The Minnesota legislature passed an omnibus transportation bill prohibiting driver’s license suspensions after a conviction for driving on a suspended or revoked license or based solely on a person’s failure …

Stripping the Gears of White Supremacy: A Call to Abate Reliance on Court Fines and Fees and Revitalize Local Taxation

The imposition of court debt began in the 1960s and became more prominent in the 1980s through fines, fees, costs, assessments, asset forfeiture, and restitution. States and municipalities have come …