Fines Are Not Taxes
Sep 29, 2021 • 16:03
Issuing enough citations to generate revenue overwhelms our court resources, which also happens in criminal cases. Authorities must induce most criminal defendants to plead guilty and motorists to not challenge questionable tickets.
This is accomplished by increasing the cost of defending oneself. In criminal cases, prosecutors engage in charge “stacking,” adding charges simply to induce a guilty plea, as illustrated by Actress Lori Loughlin’s college admissions bribery case. After refusing to plead guilty, prosecutors charged Ms. Loughlin with additional counts of bribery. She faced 40 years in prison before pleading guilty and receiving a two-month sentence.
For tickets and citations, courts often impose fees for going to court or for making a police officer testify. In municipal courts, the judge might be appointed by the mayor and willing to make biased rulings.