City of Seattle v. Long
Summary: Steven Long worked as a general tradesman and stored work tools and personal items in his truck, where he had been living since he was evicted from his apartment in …
Payment Plans
National Center for Access to Justice Fines and Fees Index
In 2016, the National Center for Access to Justice debuted it’s Justice Index and in May 2020, it was updated for the second time. The Fines and Fees Index, an …
NM SB181
This bill requires courts in criminal proceedings to assess ability to pay a fine, fee or costs, at the time of sentencing. The bill also requires that individuals be permitted …
The Financial Impact of Court-Ordered Batterers’ Intervention Programs in Los Angeles County
This study showcases data from 83 court-ordered batterers' intervention programs in Los Angeles County to determine the range and variety of fees charged by these programs.
Layaway Freedom: Coercive Financialization in the Criminal Legal System
Using data from courtroom observations and interviews with court actors and people paying their court debt in Illinois, the authors study financialization in the criminal legal system, including the practice …
First Steps Toward Equitable Fines and Fees Practices: Policy Guidance on Ability-to-Pay Assessments, Payment Plans, and Community Service
This resource provides evidence-based guidance for jurisdictions that currently have or are looking to implement ability to pay assessments, payment plans, and/or community service as an alternative to fines, fees, …
Clearing the Path to a New Beginning: A Guide To Discharging Criminal Justice Debt In Bankruptcy
This guide outlines how criminal justice debt may be treated in Chapter 7 or 13 bankruptcy and details the types of fines, fees, and costs that can and cannot be discharged through Bankruptcy.
Personal Narrative: Lakysha
Lakysha Bradley's driver's license has been suspended since 2007. A payment plan granted her temporary relief, but she defaulted on her payments shortly after because she could not afford them. Having a driver's license would enable Lakysha to pursue a more financially stable life and spend more time with her family.
Advancing Financial Justice in San Francisco: The Experience and Lessons of the City’s Financial Justice Project
This paper summarizes the lessons, successes, and challenges of the San Francisco Financial Justice Project, especially concerning criminal justice fines and fees reform.
Municipal Fines and Fees: A 50-State Survey of State Laws
This report, including an interactive map, provides a 50-state analysis of state laws that regulate municipal imposition and collection of fines and fees. The analysis is based on 52 factors, organized into 7 broad categories, that measure the extent to which state laws “prohibit, sustain, encourage or neutralize” municipal reliance on fines and fees.