Ability to Pay Archives - Fines and Fees Justice Center

City of Grants Pass v. Johnson

Issue Does the Eighth Amendment’s Cruel and Unusual Punishment Clause prohibit municipalities from enforcing generally applicable laws regulating sleeping and camping on public property? Holding In a 6-3 ruling, the …

The Cost of Justice: In Indiana, Legal Fines and Fees Are Determined by Where You Live

Monetary sanctions can prevent intergenerational wealth through the seizure of property, assets, and accounts, and the collateral consequences they perpetuate are often overlooked. People involved in the criminal legal system …

Locked In, Priced Out: How Prison Commissary Price-Gouging Preys on The Incarcerated

Prison commissaries nationwide are exploitative and inconsistent in their pricing. The Appeal underwent a nine-month investigation to collect commissary prices and markups from 46 states. People in prison make pennies …

Post-Ferguson Class Action Suits Challenging Fine and Fee Schemes in Missouri

Post-Ferguson Class Action Suits Challenging Fine and Fee Schemes in Missouri In 2014, when a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri shot and killed Michael Brown, the City of Ferguson …

If You Can’t Afford an Attorney, One Will Be Appointed. And You May Get a Huge Bill

Although the majority of states try to recoup counsel fees for indigent defenders, Iowa charges some of the highest fees. Even in cases where individuals are acquitted, or charges are …

Penalizing the Poor: An Assessment of the Administration of Fines and Fees in Florida Misdemeanor Courts

Florida courts’ fine and fee procedures punish people for being poor. In 2018, the American Bar Association (ABA) developed guidance on fairly administering court fines and fees to ensure people …

Washtenaw County Fines and Fees Justice Report

In August of 2022, Washtenaw County was selected to participate in the Cities and Counties for Fines and Fees Justice (CCFFJ) cohort led by the Fines and Fees Justice Center, …

Paying the Price New Mexico’s Practice Of Arresting And Incarcerating People For Nonpayment Of Court Debt

In a two-tiered criminal legal system, those with the resources to settle court-imposed debt result in a quick resolution of the case, but those without financial resources and social status …

A Matter of Time: The Case For Shortening Criminal Debt Collection Statutes of Limitations, A 50-State Survey

Legal financial obligations (LFO) can trap people in poverty and the legal system. When reducing the amount of debt people owe is not a viable option, reducing the length of …

Can’t Afford an Attorney? Virginia Law Tells Poor People To Pay Anyway

The U.S. Constitution requires that the government ensures people can have an attorney if accused of criminal charges that can draw jail time. In Virginia, a defendant with a very …