6 years, 8 months ago

Federal Judge Rules Against Imprisoning Those Who Can't Pay Court Fees

Federal Judge Rules Against Imprisoning Those Who Can't Pay Court Fees A federal judge in New Orleans ruled on Friday that it is unconstitutional to jail people who fail to pay court-ordered fines and fees associated with their convictions without giving them a chance to plead poverty in a "neutral forum." U.S. District Judge Sarah Vance rebuked Orleans Parish Criminal District Court judges for deliberately ignoring the financial conditions of a vast majority of criminal offenders before levying additional court-related charges, then locking them up when they don't or can't pay the debts. She noted an abundance of evidence "further establishes that because of the Judges' institutional conflict of interest, the Judges fail to provide a neutral forum for determination of criminal defendants' ability to pay." Sponsor Message Law Class-Action Lawsuit Accuses 13 Missouri Cities Of Running 'Debtors Prisons' Class-Action Lawsuit Accuses 13 Missouri Cities Of Running 'Debtors Prisons' Listen · 4:17 4:17 Vance cited the 14th Amendment in her ruling, writing that it "prohibits a state actor from arresting or detaining a criminal defendant solely for failure to pay a court-imposed debt absent a determination of ability to pay."

NPR
Judges Court Criminal Civil Rights Pay Lawsuit Judge State New Orleans Opcdc
State’s top court looks at law that makes convicts pay bills
3 years, 5 months ago

State’s top court looks at law that makes convicts pay bills

Associated Press
Law
As Court Fees Rise, The Poor Are Paying The Price
10 years, 10 months ago

As Court Fees Rise, The Poor Are Paying The Price

NPR
Judges

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