NowThis news summarizes our landmark litigation in Harris County, Texas, challenging an unconstitutional money bail system that kept poor people locked in jail only because they could not afford to pay for their freedom.
Watch VideoOur Executive Director Alec Karakatsanis spoke at the 2019 Atlantic Festival Race + Justice Summit on the state of bail reform across the country.
Watch Video"In parts of the country, prosecutors are using these orders to put crime victims—especially poor victims, and, in cities like New Orleans, victims of color—in jail in order to get swift victories in court, sometimes, puzzlingly, in minor cases. A lawsuit filed today in federal court by the American Civil Liberties Union and Civil Rights Corps, ...
Watch VideoCivil Rights Corps founder Alec Karakatsanis discusses the U.S. money bail system in episode one of Clint Smith III & Josie Duffy Rice's new podcast "Justice in America". "Justice in America" is produced by The Appeal.
Read the Full StoryFederal judges delivered a one-two gut punch to the New Orleans criminal court system this month, declaring that judges have an inherent conflict of interest both when they set bail amounts and when they impose court fees that pad their budgets.
The twin rulings against Magistrate Judge Harry Cantrell and the 12 Criminal District Court trial judges portend major changes at the courthouse — and problems for its coffers.
Read the Full StoryThe ruling in Tennessee could mean the reinstatement of driver’s licenses for more than 100,000 Tennessee residents. A similar lawsuit is also pending before the same judge over unpaid traffic fines that have cost about a quarter-million Tennesseans their licenses. The precise number of residents who would get their licenses back is unclear because some also lost driving privileges for other reasons and would still be subject to revocation.
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