IL SB 3635
Illinois introduced legislation that would eliminate the requirement that a driver’s license be suspended for failure to appear. The bill would also eliminate the authority of the court to decline to process a …
Driver's License Suspension
Following the Money on Fines and Fees
The perceived legitimacy of the justice system and public safety may be undermined by the fiscal incentives resulting from states linking revenue from fines and fees to police and court …
NJ S266
The New Jersey legislature introduced a bill that would eliminate driver’s license suspensions for failure to answer or appear in response to a failure to appear notice, or failure to pay …
Unjust Revenue from an Imbalanced Criminal Legal System: How Georgia’s Fines and Fees Worsen Racial Inequality
Georgia’s localities are over-reliant on fines and fees revenue, making up more than 10 percent of their general revenue, while the national average among localities was two percent in 2018. …
Beyond Payment Plans: Breaking the Cycle of Court Debt in Tennessee
Tennessee, like many states, relies on fines and fees to fund its criminal justice system. To alleviate the adverse effects of court debt for low income residents, in 2019, the …
Fines and Fees Are a Barrier to Criminal Record-Clearing
Nationally, court debt is estimated to be over $27 billion; unpaid monetary sanctions creates barriers for system-involved individuals who try to clear their criminal records through expungement, including the cost …
Driver’s License Suspension for Unpaid Fines and Fees: The Movement for Reform
Laws that suspend, revoke, or prevent driver’s licenses and restrict driving privileges can limit individuals’ access to employment, healthcare, family, and other necessities. Debt-based (nonpayment of traffic and court-related debt) …
Debt to Society: The Role of Fines & Fees Reform in Dismantling the Carceral State
The massive increase in the use of fines and fees in Tennessee over the last 40 years can be explained by the increase in the number of individuals in the …
Debtors’ Blocks: How Monetary Sanctions Make Between-neighborhood Racial and Economic Inequalities Worse
Poverty, inequality and the numerous disadvantages that come with legal financial obligations (LFOs) are all present in resource-deprived neighborhoods. These disadvantages are exacerbated by the isolation of poor and predominately …
A Limited Review of Warrants and Uncollected Fines and Fees
In Utah, warrants are typically not collected, but serve as a mechanism to ensure the appearance of defendants in court. Warrants reflect the outstanding fine, fee, and citation amount for …