Cain et al. v. City of New Orleans et al.
Summary of the cause of action The New Orleans Parish Criminal District Court jails indigent defendants who are unable to pay post-judgement court fines and fees. Court costs are imposed …
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Kneisser v. McInerney et al.
Plaintiff, a 20 year old college student, was sentenced to jail because he was unable to pay a $206 statutory fine with $33 in court costs for throwing a cigarette butt out of his car window.
Who Pays? The True Cost of Incarceration on Families
This report is the result of a collaborative research project from 20 community-based organizations that studied the costs of incarceration on families across 14 states.
Taxing the Poor: Incarceration, Poverty Governance, and the Seizure of Family Resources
To finance its carceral system, the United States government levies taxes on the country’s most impoverished strata. Although those involved in the justice system are typically low-income individuals, they are …
Reference Guide: Legal Financial Obligations (LFOs), Dispositional Orders
This bench card details the Washington State Supreme Court Minority and Justice Commission's recommendations for imposing, collecting, and granting relief from juvenile fines and fees in Washington State.
In re Donna Elaine Anderson
Plaintiff’s complaint requested that the Circuit Court for the County of Macomb take superintending control over the 38th District Court, requiring Judge Carl F. Gerds III to refrain from imposing pay or stay sentences on indigent defendants who are unable to pay their court debt.
California Statewide Traffic Tickets / Infractions Amnesty Program, 2015-2017
California's statewide traffic and misdemeanor amnesty program led to the reinstatement of 246,000 driver's licenses and $45M in new revenue.
Delaware SB 132: Procedures for the suspension, nonrenewal of driver’s licenses for the failure to resolve motor vehicle charges.
This bill provides that driver’s licenses will not be suspended for nonpayment of “minor traffic” fines and fees or for failure to appear in court. However, it does mandate that driver’s licenses cannot be renewed (nor can duplicate licenses be issued) if an individual still owes fines and fees.
Charging Inmates Perpetuates Mass Incarceration
In this policy brief, L.B. Eisen explains how imposing fees upon incarcerated people perpetuates mass incarceration. The brief outlines describes contemporary fee practices, explores the history of those fees, analyzes their constitutionality, and makes several policy recommendations to mitigate collateral consequences.
Set Up for Failure? Examining the Influence of Monetary Sanctions on Probation Success
In this article, Professors Amaia Iratzoqui and Christi Metcalfe assess whether fines and fees affect an individual’s success in their probation program.