court fines

National

National Panel Advises Judges On People Who Can't Pay Court Fees

8:39pm February 03, 2017

by Joseph Shapiro

Jurisdictions around the country are receiving guidelines that urge courts find alternatives to jail for defendants who can't pay fines linked to minor, nonviolent offenses such as traffic tickets.

Last year, the ACLU of Colorado discovered nearly 800 cases where people had gone to jail in Colorado Springs, Colo., when they couldn't pay their tickets for minor violations. Pictured above is Alamo Square Park, site of the Colorado Springs Pioneers Mus

National

Colorado Springs Will Stop Jailing People Too Poor To Pay Court Fines

11:45am May 05, 2016

by Joseph Shapiro

The Colorado city and the American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado have announced a settlement that will end the practice. The city will even give payouts to people who were wrongly sent to jail.

Queue Listen Now

Study Finds The Poor Subject To Unfair Fines, Driver's License Suspensions

5:57pm April 09, 2015

by Sam Sanders

The report says many of the police and court practices highlighted in a recent federal investigation into the Ferguson, Mo., police department occur in California as well.

Sharnalle Mitchell (center) in Montgomery in May, after winning an injunction to stop the city from collecting court fines. With her (from left): attorney Alec Karakatsanis, fellow plaintiffs Lorenzo Brown and Tito Williams and attorney Matt Swerdlin.

National

Alabama Settlement Could Be Model For Handling Poor Defendants In Ferguson, Mo.

8:12pm November 20, 2014

by Joseph Shapiro

The city of Montgomery, Ala., was sued by a group of people who said they were jailed when they couldn't pay court fines and fees. Now the city has agreed to take steps to help those too poor to pay.