Jailed for $280: The Return of Debtors' Prisons

[OntarioVanMan]

How about that.... criminalizing poverty?

Talk about lack of rights...yikes...Some Florida counties also use so-called collection courts, where debtors can be jailed but have no right to a public defender.

Jailed for $280: The Return of Debtors' Prisons - Yahoo! Finance

 

[Ragman]

How about that.... criminalizing poverty?

Talk about lack of rights...yikes...Some Florida counties also use so-called collection courts, where debtors can be jailed but have no right to a public defender.

Jailed for $280: The Return of Debtors' Prisons - Yahoo! Finance

And to think, some want to go back to the way things were!

 

[layoutshooter]

And to think, some want to go back to the way things were!

Yep, the Democrats, Republicans and all other forms of ultra-conservatives.

 

[Ragman]

Yep, the Democrats, Republicans and all other forms of ultra-conservatives.

Of course, dumber than dirt liberal morons , don't want to go back.

 

[chefdennis]

I believe it was Roanald Reagan that when taking of the abuses by the government coined the phase, "We are from the Government, and We are here to Help You...."

 

[layoutshooter]

Of course, dumber than dirt liberal morons , don't want to go back.

TRUE Liberals, like those who fought to form this Nation, do not. Today's 'neo-libs' and 'neo-con' are all the same. They ALL want to return to the day of total government control of the People.

 

[paullud]

Did anyone read the article? If you read the whole article and look into the issue as to why they were put in jail you will find it is for contempt of court because they never bothered answering or dealing with court summons. They just figure it will go away and ignore the requests, these are not debtors prisons, just more lying sensational media garbage.

Sent from my ADR6400L using EO Forums

 

[Ragman]

Did anyone read the article? If you read the whole article and look into the issue as to why they were put in jail you will find it is for contempt of court because they never bothered answering or dealing with court summons. They just figure it will go away and ignore the requests, these are not debtors prisons, just more lying sensational media garbage.

Sent from my ADR6400L using EO Forums

I have to read the article also? Dang!

 

[chefdennis]

I read the article, and the fact that they are being put in jail for contempt is just BS way to pressure them...its a BS charge....its like a mom has her kids in the car after picking them up from school after she had a drink with a few friends....she gets stopped for "failure to stop" at a stop sign..she made a rolling stop as many do...the leo smells the booze (just 1 drink)...she take the test and its "marginable"..but leo wants to pad his ticket count, so he writes her for the failure to stop, but also calls Child Protection Sevices who nails her with "child endangering"....

They just "stack charges" to get a conviction...Now personally, pay your bills, you run into problems, then work something out, cities are cash strapped, so they are also doing this same type of thing with with fines and fees... to use the courts in this way is bs....

But hey, the government is just here to help the people......

 

[paullud]

I read the article, and the fact that they are being put in jail for contempt is just BS way to pressure them...its a BS charge....its like a mom has her kids in the car after picking them up from school after she had a drink with a few friends....she gets stopped for "failure to stop" at a stop sign..she made a rolling stop as many do...the leo smells the booze (just 1 drink)...she take the test and its "marginable"..but leo wants to pad his ticket count, so he writes her for the failure to stop, but also calls Child Protection Sevices who nails her with "child endangering"....

They just "stack charges" to get a conviction...Now personally, pay your bills, you run into problems, then work something out, cities are cash strapped, so they are also doing this same type of thing with with fines and fees... to use the courts in this way is bs....

But hey, the government is just here to help the people......

This is about personal responsibility and our responsibility as citizens of this country. This woman ignored bills she was sent, ignored attempts by the collection agency to collect, and then ignored a court summons. She was not acting like a responsible citizen and had to face the consequences of her irresponsibility. It has nothing to do with an officer trying to meet a ticket quota. A closer example is being summoned for jury duty or as a witness and ignoring it, you need to show up as a responsible citizen.


Sent from my ADR6400L using EO Forums

 

[chefdennis]

I agree in THAT CASE, and i said, pay your bills...but did you read the WHOLE article??

"Creditors have been manipulating the court system to extract money from the unemployed, veterans, even seniors who rely solely on their benefits to get by each month," Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan said last month in a statement voicing support for the legislation. "Too many people have been thrown in jail simply because they're too poor to pay their debts. We cannot allow these illegal abuses to continue."

Debt collectors typically avoid filing suit against debtors, a representative with the Illinois Collectors Association tells the AP. "A consumer that has been arrested or jailed can't pay a debt. We want to work with consumers to resolve issues," he said.

Yet Illinois isn't the only state where residents get locked up for owing money. A 2010 report by the American Civil Liberties Union that focused on only five states -- Georgia, Louisiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Washington -- found that people were being jailed at "increasingly alarming rates" over legal debts. Cases ranged from a woman who was arrested four separate times for failing to pay $251 in fines and court costs related to a fourth-degree misdemeanor conviction, to a mentally ill juvenile jailed by a judge over a previous conviction for stealing school supplies.

Kinda makes you go hmmmm.....

 

[paullud]

I agree in THAT CASE, and i said, pay your bills...but did you read the WHOLE article??



Kinda makes you go hmmmm.....

Yes I read the whole article and even the report from the ACLU. The report shows that when you break the law that you will be punished. They go over issues about a guy that for some reason couldn't come up with $550 in 2 years or the guy that couldn't pay his fines but continued to break the law, or the guy that couldn't come up with $30 a month and made no payment for 2 months. These are people that broke the law and agreed to pay the fines to stay out of jail but failed to live up to their agreement.

Sent from my ADR6400L using EO Forums

 

[Tennesseahawk]

I hope you're talking fines; cause last time I checked, not paying your bills was a civil matter. And as far as that lady not showing up to court... it's called default judgement. I don't know what was in that cracka judge's coffee, but you don't throw someone in jail for not responding to a CIVIL infraction... you just hold judgement for the opposition.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

What I really disagree with is these debt collectors that can get a judgement against someone and use that as leverage against that person and they use the state resources to collect the debt for them....court order or not..if you can't pay, you can't pay...rather then deal directly with these people, they use the power of the state as a weapon against said persons...sure they maybe in contempt of court...you just can't get blood out of a stone...
Example.... in another lifetime long ago...I was in debt up tp my ears....with advise from a councillor....when debt collectors demanded a payment I would offer them $10 a month....they'd say not good enough....I'd say well take me to court and we'll see what the judge says about you turning down a payment plan....hey I offered to pay...they turned my offer down.

 

[scottm4211]

It's amazing how efficient prosecutors and courts can be over $280, but always fall flat when it's billion dollar corporations involved.

 

[layoutshooter]

How are those owed money going to collect on legal debts if they can't get court a judgement ? Break a few knees maybe?

It is a tough situation. I am well aware that good people can get into debt through no fault of their own. I am also well aware that there are just as many, if not more, who are just plain deadbeats. The 'heartstrings' game is played too often. It was the cost of the cancer treatment. In many cases, yes, medical costs can ruin a person financial life. It is also the case where people just flat out buy what they cannot afford.

When I was in debt collection/repo I learned a LOT. It is not as cut and dry as many would like to make it. I had one older women tell me that it was the banks fault that she bought a car that she could not afford. You would not believe how many people out there don't feel that they should pay on a car loan if the car breaks down or is wrecked. There are endless stories along those lines.

I don't agree with a return to 'debtors prisons', BUT, if one owes the money one should pay the bill. I don't know the answer but something has to be done. It costs ALL of us when people punk out on their obligations.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

How are those owed money going to collect on legal debts if they can't get court a judgement ? Break a few knees maybe?

It is a tough situation. I am well aware that good people can get into debt through no fault of their own. I am also well aware that there are just as many, if not more, who are just plain deadbeats. The 'heartstrings' game is played too often. It was the cost of the cancer treatment. In many cases, yes, medical costs can ruin a person financial life. It is also the case where people just flat out buy what they cannot afford.

When I was in debt collection/repo I learned a LOT. It is not as cut and dry as many would like to make it. I had one older women tell me that it was the banks fault that she bought a car that she could not afford. You would not believe how many people out there don't feel that they should pay on a car loan if the car breaks down or is wrecked. There are endless stories along those lines.

I don't agree with a return to 'debtors prisons', BUT, if one owes the money one should pay the bill. I don't know the answer but something has to be done. It costs ALL of us when people punk out on their obligations.

Agreed...It is not a simple situation...there are tons of deadbeats too.....that is what civil courts are for....to make a judgement on ones ability to pay...

 

[layoutshooter]

Yeah, too bad it often does not work. I am STILL owed over 4K + interest that I will NEVER see. A FORMER friend and business partner 'stuck' me for the money. Yeah, the courts says he owes it to me. Big deal. It has been over 20 years and I have yet to see one cent. Any bets I never see it? It is a flawed system.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Yeah, too bad it often does not work. I am STILL owed over 4K + interest that I will NEVER see. A FORMER friend and business partner 'stuck' me for the money. Yeah, the courts says he owes it to me. Big deal. It has been over 20 years and I have yet to see one cent. Any bets I never see it? It is a flawed system.

according to the article Michigan has a debtors prison if you pushed it....send it to a professional collectors and pay the fee....

 

[layoutshooter]

according to the article Michigan has a debtors prison if you pushed it....send it to a professional collectors and pay the fee....

The problem did not occur in Michigan. The event took place in Atlanta and we were living in South Carolina at the time. This is a case where breaking a knee or two would be justified, BUT, I don't do things like that. Hey, it's only money. I am a rich expediter, why do I need it back? I bet he voted for Obama too! It has been 20 years since this happened.