Hate speed traps and tickets? These people are fighting back.

Doraville, Georgia, a 10,000-person suburb of Atlanta, has become notorious for its revenue-generating speed traps and housing code enforcement cases. In this video, residents of this small town share their disdain for how code enforcement and police officers ticket people, especially since 24% of the city’s operating budget comes from fines and fees.

The Institute for Justice is currently representing plaintiffs Janice Craig, Hilda Brucker, Byron Billingsley, and Jeff Thornton in a lawsuit against the City of Doraville.

Key findings

• Each year, Doraville’s courts hear about 15,000 cases which results in the collection of more than $3 million of fines and fees.
• Doraville depends on fines and fees to generate 24% of its overall operating budget.
• A resident was brought to municipal court, faced three criminal misdemeanor charges, and subsequently fined $100 and sentenced to criminal probation for the condition of her driveway.