This Louisiana Town Runs Largely on Traffic Fines. If You Fight Your Ticket, the Mayor Is Your Judge.
This Louisiana Town Runs Largely on Traffic Fines. If You Fight Your Ticket, the Mayor Is Your Judge.
Fenton, population 226, brings in over $1 million per year through its mayor’s court, an unusual justice system in which the mayor can serve as judge even though he’s responsible for town finances.
Fenton, population 226, brings in over $1 million per year through its mayor’s court, an unusual justice system in which the mayor can serve as judge even though he’s responsible for town finances.
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Yeah…. Uhm…. Seems like that’s a fairly easy thing to appeal?
I assume that for many people the time and effort to try and appeal shit like this is way more than the original fine is worth.
That is why it keeps happening.
yup. But, I imagine a half-decent lawyer could turn that into a class action and make bank.
I dunno the success of any suits against these towns, but they exist all over the country. They count on you passing through and not being able to come back for court.
Which is perhaps why a class action might be the best way to go, rather than just appealing it.
But part of due process is a free and impartial trial. I suspect there’s other forms of corruption, as well, though. It’s the kind of thing that festers
But you have to have $$ for it be worth a lawsuit. Notice in this case they don't even keep records, so it's likely hard to even fight them using their own papers. Better would be to contest in federal court using the Supreme Court opinion imo
90+% of the victims of these towns lives far enough away that it's cheaper to just pay the damn ticket than drive 400 miles to show up for court.