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Category: The True Cost of Court Debt

Flyers for the Fine & Fee Justice Workshop on a table.
Posted inPUBLIC SAFETY

Fine and fee workshop helps Pittsburghers satisfy court debt through restorative approach

by Juliette Rihl November 20, 2020November 21, 2020

Diona Brown was at Pittsburgh Municipal Court last month for another case when she learned she had two outstanding court fines for when she was at school, two decades ago. Both were for truancy, dating back to 1999 and 2000. She was 16 years old.  It was so long ago that Brown couldn’t even remember […]

The traffic court cashier window at Pittsburgh Municipal Court in Downtown.
Posted inInvestigations

Allegheny County selected to participate in national fine and fee reform initiative following PublicSource investigation

by Juliette Rihl May 26, 2020November 5, 2021
Posted inInvestigations

How not paying court fines and costs can mean jail time

by Juliette Rihl February 27, 2020November 5, 2021
Derrick Macon outside of his home in East Hills. (Photo by Jay Manning/PublicSource)
Posted inInvestigations

376,000 PA drivers have their licenses suspended for unpaid traffic tickets. That’s more than the population of Pittsburgh.

by Juliette Rihl February 20, 2020November 5, 2021
Posted inInvestigations

A $25 fine can wind up costing more than $150. So where does the rest of the money go?

by Juliette Rihl February 13, 2020November 5, 2021
The traffic court cashier window at Pittsburgh Municipal Court in Downtown.
Posted inInvestigations

Court fines and fees generate important revenue. But for some people, they’re an insurmountable hurdle.

by Juliette Rihl February 6, 2020November 5, 2021
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