Discretionary Disenfranchisement: The Case of Legal Financial Obligations
This paper discusses how fines and fees prevent ex-felons in Alabama and Tennessee from restoring their right to vote after disenfranchisement.
News
Virginia House Bill 2386: Unpaid court fines; increases grace period for collection.
The legislation provides protocol for how courts can authorize payment plans, deferred payments, and community service in lieu of immediate, full monetary payments.
Oregon SB 360: An Act Relating to Reentry
This Act directs Oregon counties to create community service programs that allow parolees to participate in lieu of paying certain types of debts such as court-appointed attorney fees.
Graduating Economic Sanctions According to Ability to Pay
This article focuses on a potential reform with increasing bipartisan support: the graduation of economic sanctions according to a person’s financial circumstances, also known as "day fines" or "means-adjusted fines."
Past Due: Examining the Costs and Consequences of Charging for Justice in New Orleans
This report documents the amount New Orleans residents pay in bail, fines and fees, traces where the money goes, and calculates how much the city spends to jail people who cannot pay.
Thomas v. Haslam
In misdemeanor and felony cases, Tennessee automatically revoked a person’s driver’s license if they failed to pay court fines and fees one year after they were imposed.
Personal Narrative: James Thomas
On a rainy night, James took shelter under a bridge and was arrested for criminal trespass. Mr. Thomas was found guilty and assessed court costs. He advised the clerk of his circumstances and never heard anything else about the outstanding debt until 2016, when he was denied a Tennessee’s driver’s license.
Advisory for Recipients of Financial Assistance from the U.S. Department of Justice on Levying Fines and Fees on Juveniles
The U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and Office for Access to Justice issued a formal advisory to recipients of DOJ funds about the enforcement of fines and fees in juvenile courts.
Oregon HB 2424: Directs Department of Transportation to create program by which certain persons may apply for reduction or waiver of moneys owed to department. […]
This bill directs Oregon’s Department of Transportation to create a program that allows certain individuals who have had their driver’s licenses suspended to apply for a reduction or waiver of the criminal justice debt that prevents them from regaining driving privileges.
Tennessee’s Court Fees and Taxes: Funding the Courts Fairly
In response to concern from House Civil Justice Committee members about the practice of fee increases, Senator Jon Lundberg requested a study on court fees. The resulting report reviews all …