 View this email in your browser if you wish. By Alex Coven Edited by Alice Lundell, Julia Yoshimoto August 2024 OJRC launches free guide to help Oregonians struggling with court fines and fees When someone gets in trouble with the law in Oregon, they may end up having to pay fines, fees, or restitution. These costs imposed by the courts can affect people at different points in their journey through the legal system, whether it be when they’re arrested, go to court, or even after they’ve been sentenced. People who’ve been charged with crimes are immediately at risk of having to pay many different financial penalties, whether they are guilty or innocent. At the Oregon Justice Resource Center, we regularly encounter clients and others involved with the legal system who are struggling to pay their fines and fees. Their debt may have grown over the years if they haven’t kept up with payments, making it more and more difficult to meet their obligations. Not paying court debts leads to problems that make it harder to become financially stable, such as not being able to get a driver’s license, get off community supervision, or expunge convictions. Some people have to choose between paying their debts and meeting essential needs such as groceries, rent, or medical care. There’s not much evidence that these court fees make us safer or help people change for the better. Instead, they make it harder to start over. This can make it more likely for people to end up in trouble again, with new cases against them and new fines and fees owing. Studies show that certain groups are more harshly affected by fines and fees, such as people of color, women, and people on low incomes. We’ve written a free guide to help people deal with their court-ordered fines and fees. This guide explains what the charges are and gives tips on how people can lower the amount they owe at different stages of their case. It is also designed to help people who already owe money to the court and need to figure out how to pay it. Download your free copy of A Guide to Court-Ordered Financial Obligations in Oregon Criminal Courts now at our website. Learn more Copyright © 2024 Oregon Justice Resource Center, All rights reserved. You are receiving this from the Oregon Justice Resource Center, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Our mailing address is: Oregon Justice Resource Center PO Box 5248Portland, Oregon97209 Add us to your address book |
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