Local Reforms Archives - Page 6 of 6 - Fines and Fees Justice Center

Injustice Under Law: Perpetuating and Criminalizing Poverty Through The Courts

The ability to hire an attorney in either a civil or criminal proceeding can result in an experience that is procedurally and substantively different than that of someone who is …

D.C. Law 22-175: Traffic and Parking Ticket Penalty Amendment Act of 2018.

The Council of the District of Columbia unanimously amended the District of Columbia Traffic Adjudication Act of 1978 to eliminate the suspension of drivers’ licenses for unpaid traffic debt or failure to appear at hearings.

Biloxi Municipal Court Procedures for Legal Financial Obligations & Community Service

This bench card was created as part of a 2016 settlement agreement in Kennedy v. Biloxi, an ACLU lawsuit against the city of Biloxi, Mississippi, where defendants could avoid incarceration only if they paid their fines and fees immediately, in full, with cash.

Orange clerk slashing surcharge imposed by collection companies

This 2015 Orlando Sentinel article describes how waiving surcharges assessed by collection agencies for one weekend led the Orange County Clerk of Courts to lower the rate these companies could charge going forward.

Fines, Fees, And Bail- Payments In The Criminal Justice System That Disproportionately Impact The Poor

This brief provides background information on criminal justice system fines, fees, and bail and argues that these costs disproportionately impact poor people.