Debt Sentence: How Fines And Fees Hurt Working Families
This report shares the results of a national survey of over 5,600 adults to see how court-imposed fines and fees affect people across the country.
Ability to Pay
United States Department of Justice “Dear Colleague” Letter (revised and updated)
On April 20, 2023 the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, Office of Justice Programs, and Office for Access to Justice revised the 2016 Dear Colleague to include an updated discussion …
How Fines and Fees Impact Families: Can Policies like the Child Tax Credit Help?
Low-income families burdened by court-imposed financial penalties often turn to high cost predatory services or forgo basic needs to avoid further legal consequences for nonpayment. In 2021, the Child Tax …
New Mexico HB 139: Eliminating Court Fees
The New Mexico Legislature approved a bill eliminating post-adjudication and bench warrant fees. The legislation also expands the definition of community service to encourage participation in job training, academic or …
Roberts Webb et al. v. City of Maplewood
On March 6, 2023, a federal judge approved a $3.25 million settlement in this class-action lawsuit brought against the City of Maplewood, Missouri. The suit alleged that the City regularly …
The Failed Promise of Installment Fines
When the Supreme Court reaffirmed, in 1970, that it was unconstitutional to incarcerate someone who is unable to pay a court fine or fee, it suggested that payment plans could …
Punishing the Poor: An Assessment of the Administration of Fines and Fees in New Mexico Misdemeanor Courts
Low-income people in New Mexico accused of minor crimes are often caught in a vicious cycle where they are jailed because they can’t afford to pay monetary sanctions. In 2018, …
Report to the Legislature: Online Infraction Adjudication and Ability-to-Pay Determinations
This report uses data from California courts that have adopted the MyCitations tool to evaluate the pilot program. As of January 1, 2023, over 66,000 ability-to-pay requests were submitted through …
Broken Rules: Laws Meant to End Debtors’ Prisons are Failing Nebraskans
Nebraska law has safeguards that should prevent people from being incarcerated solely because they cannot afford a fee or fine. Some include statutes that require considering a person’s ability to …
The Burden of Court Debt on Washingtonians
The majority of Washingtonians assessed legal financial obligations (LFOs) meet state indigency standards, and their low payment rates suggest their debts are uncollectible. In Washington, the inability to pay criminal …