Court Is Closed Due to Coronavirus. But You Still Owe Those Fines and Fees.
As states and cities face budget shortfalls amid the COVID-19 crisis, many courts seek payments largely owed by the poor.
In Vermilion Parish, Louisiana, the sheriff’s department has turned an old bank into a socially distanced payment location where residents can pay court fines and traffic tickets. “Drive-Thru ONLY,” the agency posted on Facebook.
In Tulsa, Oklahoma, officers continue to arrest people for failing to pay court debts—even ones more than a decade old—despite the public health risks involved in hands-on policing, according to the Washington Post.
And in Pima County, Arizona, David Rogers was notified in late March that the government is keeping his tax refund, which he needs to pay mounting bills. The reason: He owes $215 in court fees stemming from a drug paraphernalia charge, records show. “I
