Fines and Fees – Voices for Civil Justice

How Local Courts Sidestep The Right To An Attorney

News Story (NATIONAL, South Carolina)

How Local Courts Sidestep The Right To An Attorney

October 28, 2019 | RJ Vogt | Law360
According to Joanna Weiss, a co-founder of the Fines and Fees Justice Center, it’s no surprise that constitutional violations occur in local courts because many of them primarily serve their town or city’s bottom line.
Tags: Fines and Fees

Oregon city stops jailing poor who can’t pay court debts

News Story (Oregon)

Oregon city stops jailing poor who can’t pay court debts

June 16, 2019 | Associated Press (AP)
The eastern Oregon city of Pendleton has stopped jailing people unable to pay fines, a city official said, following the settlement of a federal lawsuit contending city officials were running a debtors' prison.
Tags: Debtors Prison | Fines and Fees

Podrían eliminar remolque de autos en San Francisco

Video (California)

Podrían eliminar remolque de autos en San Francisco

March 26, 2019 | Telemundo (NBC 48) (San Francisco)
Telemundo takes a look at a recent report on the disparate racial impact of car towing in California. (Spanish)
Tags: Fines and Fees | Poverty

Towing Reform: New Bill Seeks to Repeal ‘Poverty Tows’

News Story (California)

Towing Reform: New Bill Seeks to Repeal ‘Poverty Tows’

March 19, 2019 | Marisol Medina-Cadena | KQED Radio (NPR) (Northern California)
For many Californians, having a car towed is not only a costly inconvenience but can mean losing access to a job, education, medical care or even shelter, according to a new report by a coalition of civil rights attorneys.
Tags: Fines and Fees | Poverty

Court fees a hurdle to full redemption, advocate says

News Story (Washington)

Court fees a hurdle to full redemption, advocate says

January 31, 2019 | Donald W. Meyers | Yakima Herald-Republic (WA)
If a defendant can’t pay, he or she is usually assessed a mandatory $600 on top of whatever fines are assessed or restitution the court believes the defendant is capable of paying.
Tags: Courts | Debtors Prison | Fines and Fees

The Government Fee That Can Cost Poor Philadelphians Their Inheritance

News Story (Pennsylvania)

The Government Fee That Can Cost Poor Philadelphians Their Inheritance

September 25, 2018 | Ryan Briggs | NextCity.org
Many places in America, being willed a property isn’t enough. Philadelphia assesses something called a probate fee — $580 — the Henrys would learn they needed to pay City Hall just to process their inheritance.
Tags: Fines and Fees | Wills and Estate

Court fees, restitution put people in dire straits after moving through criminal justice system researchers, lawyers say

News Story, Video (Alabama)

Court fees, restitution put people in dire straits after moving through criminal justice system researchers, lawyers say

May 18, 2018 | Courtney Crown | WHNT-TV (Huntsville, Alabama)
Court fees and restitution can make people feel desperate. On Saturday, May 19, researchers and attorneys are using a free legal clinic in Huntsville to meet the people in the throes of these money issues.
Tags: Court Debt | Criminal Justice | Fines and Fees