Ray et al. v. Judicial Correction Services Inc. et al.
This suit against Judicial Correction Services in Alabama alleges that people were placed on probation without adjudication of their guilt nor sentenced to serve jail time.
News
Personal Narrative: James Brooks
James Brooks paid Leaders in Community Alternatives, a private probation company, $1,629 for 58 days to avoid jail and to continue to be able to care for his ill mother.
Predominantly black neighborhoods in D.C. bear the brunt of automated traffic enforcement
Washington, D.C., a member of the International Vision Zero movement, committed itself to end traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2024 through the implementation of engineering, education, and enforcement strategies. …
Why journalists should cover local jails
In this article for The Poynter Institute, Al Tompkins underscores the importance of journalists covering local jails and suggests several coverage angles that journalists can use to convince readers to care more about incarceration at the local level.
Missouri v. Wright
Wright pled guilty to misdemeanor offenses of stealing and resisting arrest. He was sentenced to 90 days in jail and to pay costs including a Board Bill of $1358.28. Wright …
Missouri Rule 37.04 Supervision of Courts Hearing Ordinance Violations and Minimum Operating Standards for Missouri Courts: Municipal Divisions
This rule change adopts an appendix that defines minimum operating standards for municipal courts and their personnel to abide by. Several of these new minimum standards relate to fines and fees practices.
LFO (Legal Financial Obligations) Calculator (State of Washington)
With the help of Microsoft and a Department of Justice grant, the state of Washington launched a web-based Calculator to enable judges, defendants, and public defenders to calculate fines and fees owed.
Report of the New Jersey Supreme Court Committee on Municipal Court Operations, Fines, and Fees
This report is a result of a comprehensive review of New Jersey municipal courts by the Supreme Court Committee on Municipal Court Operations, Fines, and Fees.
Black Love Resists in the Rust v. City of Buffalo
This case alleges that the City of Buffalo uses vehicle checkpoints in Black and Latino communities to generate revenue.
Personal Narrative: Jane Doe
Jane Doe was driving and arrived at a traffic checkpoint operated by the Buffalo Police Department. Because she lacked a harness for her children's booster seats, she was assessed eight points on her driver’s license, $446 in fines and $450 for a Driver Responsibility Assessment. During this time, Ms. Doe was a full time student with no income. BTVA refused to accept partial payments or provide a payment plan. Unable to pay, her learner’s permit was suspended. In 2018, she used her tax refund to pay her traffic tickets and reinstate her permit.