Missouri v. Wright
Wright pled guilty to misdemeanor offenses of stealing and resisting arrest. He was sentenced to 90 days in jail and to pay costs including a Board Bill of $1358.28. Wright …
Due Process
Missouri Rule 37.04 Supervision of Courts Hearing Ordinance Violations and Minimum Operating Standards for Missouri Courts: Municipal Divisions
This rule change adopts an appendix that defines minimum operating standards for municipal courts and their personnel to abide by. Several of these new minimum standards relate to fines and fees practices.
Report of the New Jersey Supreme Court Committee on Municipal Court Operations, Fines, and Fees
This report is a result of a comprehensive review of New Jersey municipal courts by the Supreme Court Committee on Municipal Court Operations, Fines, and Fees.
Black Love Resists in the Rust v. City of Buffalo
This case alleges that the City of Buffalo uses vehicle checkpoints in Black and Latino communities to generate revenue.
A Pound of Flesh- The Criminalization of Private Debt
This report exposes how the private debt collection industry uses the court system to coerce payment from people, many of whom cannot afford to pay their debts.
Morales v. The City of Indio
This complaint alleges that the cities of Indio and Coachella outsourced the prosecution of some municipal code violations to a private law firm, Silver and Wright LLP.
Opinion: Jeff Sessions has endorsed an unconstitutional fine on the poor
In this op-ed for the Washington Post, FFJC Co-Director Lisa Foster explains the harms inflicted by Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ refusal to ensure that the Constitution is enforced in local and …
People v. Duenas
Velia Duenas, a homeless, married mother of two children, had her license suspended because she was unable to pay $1088 for three juvenile citations. She continued to drive, received three misdemeanor convictions, and spent 141 days in jail because she was unable to pay the fines.
Justice Derailed: A case study of abusive and unconstitutional practices in Colorado city courts
This case study of municipal courts in Colorado is based on a multi-year ACLU investigation which revealed that despite a bipartisan reform effort in the state legislature, many of Colorado’s municipal courts persistently ignore both constitutional standards and state law and continue to employ practices that punish defendants for their poverty.
Commonwealth v. Smetana
Appellant was held in contempt and incarcerated for failure to pay his court fines and fees without any inquiry into his ability to pay. The appellant mentioned that his sibling may be able to pay, but no further inquiry was made by the court. He was sentenced to thirty days imprisonment with credit for time served and a $200 fee to purge the contempt.