Traffic Tickets – Voices for Civil Justice

More than 7 million people may have lost driver’s licenses because of traffic debt

News Story (NATIONAL)

More than 7 million people may have lost driver’s licenses because of traffic debt

May 19, 2018 | Justin Wm. Moyer | Washington Post
The total number nationwide could be much higher based on the population of states that did not or could not provide data.
Tags: Court Debt | Driver's license suspension | Traffic Tickets

California court to halt license suspensions of poor drivers

News Story (California)

California court to halt license suspensions of poor drivers

August 8, 2017 | Associated Press (AP)
Solano County Superior Court will notify traffic defendants of their right to be heard regarding their ability to pay, the coalition said, and the notices will explain their right to ask for a lower fine, a payment plan, or community service.
Tags: Court Debt | Driver's license suspension | Traffic Tickets

California Today: Tackling Some ‘Ridiculously High’ Traffic Fines

Column (California)

California Today: Tackling Some ‘Ridiculously High’ Traffic Fines

May 15, 2017 | Thomas Fuller | New York Times (NYT)
A bill in the State Legislature would make California the first state to assess traffic fines by income level: The poorer you are, the less you would pay.
Tags: Court Debt | Driver's license suspension | Traffic Tickets

Traffic Ticket-to-Prison Pipeline: New Report Reveals Racial Bias In California’s Traffic Court System

News Story (California)

Traffic Ticket-to-Prison Pipeline: New Report Reveals Racial Bias In California’s Traffic Court System

May 7, 2017 | Tanasia Kenney | Atlanta Black Star
California’s traffic fines are some of the steepest in the country, and a new report shows that the state’s current policies for those unable to pay are disproportionately affecting Blacks and Latinos.
Tags: Court Debt | Driver's license suspension | Funding: Federal | Traffic Tickets

Pricey Traffic Tickets Might Be Costing California $140 Million in Revenue

News Story (California)

Pricey Traffic Tickets Might Be Costing California $140 Million in Revenue

May 5, 2017 | Kelsey E. Thomas | NextCity.org
California uses its steep fines as a revenue source.
Tags: Driver's license suspension | Traffic Tickets

How A Traffic Fine Can Lead To Jail Time In California

News Story (California)

How A Traffic Fine Can Lead To Jail Time In California

May 4, 2017 | Leah Donnella | National Public Radio (NPR)
According to a new report from the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area, traffic fines in California have an outsize effect on low-income drivers and people of color.
Tags: Court Debt | Driver's license suspension | Traffic Tickets

California judge who mocked blind man emblematic of failed traffic court system

News Story (California)

California judge who mocked blind man emblematic of failed traffic court system

October 20, 2016 | Sam Levin | Guardian
Judge Taylor Culver is accused of ‘willful misconduct’ by the state’s commission on judicial performance, providing a rare window into how police agencies and courts use traffic courts to target low-income people.
Tags: Courts | Traffic Tickets