The Justice Report
The Justice Report is a journal dedicated to the advancement of civil rights by providing context and understanding for issues most prominently affecting our justice system today. This curated collection is an online database focused on poverty, historical civil rights benchmarks, staff and contributor insights, and the inner workings of our government leaders.
Thanks to our supporters, Equal Justice Under Law celebrated its 10-year anniversary on March 24, 2024! This work would not be possible without the dedication of donors who agree that wealth-based discrimination undermines the foundation of our justice system.
Read MoreRecently, the Illinois State Supreme Court upheld the 2021 Illinois Pretrial Fairness Act (officially known as Public Act 101-652), which abolishes cash bail and specifies procedures judges must use to impose pretrial detention.
Read MoreEqual Justice Under Law secured a monumental victory in its lawsuit, Welchen v. Sacramento, a case challenging Sacramento’s pretrial cash bail system. Filed in 2016 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California, Welchen v. Sacramento alleged that Sacramento’s policy of charging exorbitant pretrial bail amounts without accounting for arrestees’ ability to pay was unconstitutional.
Read MoreLast month, Tennessee’s Elections Division issued new guidance requiring formerly incarcerated residents who have been convicted of a felony to fully restore their citizenship rights before being allowed to register to vote.
Read MoreA federal class action challenging pre-trial fees in Anderson County, Texas secured a critical victory this week when the court granted class certification to the plaintiffs. In Anderson County, many pre-trial arrestees — who have not been found guilty of any crime — are required to…
Read MoreA federal lawsuit challenging Ravalli County’s “Jail Diversion Program” is advancing forward after a judge denied the county’s motion to dismiss and granted class certification to the plaintiffs. In Ravalli County, pre-trial arrestees — who have not been found guilty of any crime — are required to pay pre-trial fees adding up to hundreds of dollars per month, no matter their income level.
Read MoreThe settlement agreement is a crucial step towards addressing the economic and racial implications of the U.S. carceral system. Although a growing number of state legislatures are working to reform their respective bail systems, the practice of setting and imposing bail, particularly cash bail, in the U.S. continues to disproportionately affect poor people of color.
Read MoreLast month, Magistrate Judge K. Nicole Mitchell of the Eastern District of Texas granted consolidation of two cases by Equal Justice Under Law challenging pre-trial fees in Anderson County, Texas, while also denying the county’s motion to dismiss.
Read MoreLast week’s decision by the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade (and thereby undoing the constitutional right to an abortion) will have devastating and long-lasting consequences, particularly for our most vulnerable populations. As a civil rights organization, Equal Justice Under Law’s mission is to fight wealth discrimination in the “justice” system, and we foresee this landmark decision by the highest court as a massive blow to the people for whom we fight for justice.
Read MoreA critical lawsuit filed today aims to relieve thousands of individuals being extorted money through pre-trial fees before ever being found guilty of a crime. In Anderson County, pre-trial arrestees — who have not been found guilty of any crime — are required to pay bond supervision and urinalysis fees without consideration of their ability to pay. If they fall behind on payments, they can end up back in jail.
Read MoreOver the last several years, counties and states have enacted pre-trial supervision policies and programs for individuals that are charged with crimes, in attempts to get individuals out of jail while awaiting trial. Pre-trial supervision is similar to supervision imposed when an individual is convicted of a crime and they are then placed on probation, parole, or placed in treatment programs.
Read MoreLast week, Plaintiffs filed for class certification in Evenson-Childs v. Ravalli County — a federal lawsuit challenging Ravalli County’s “Jail Diversion Program,” which extorts money from hundreds of individuals through pre-trial fees. In Ravalli County, pretrial arrestees — who have not been found guilty of any crime — are required to pay pre-trial fees adding up to hundreds of dollars per month, no matter their income level.
Read MoreOn March 30, 2022, federal Judge William L. Campbell, Jr. of the District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee largely denied a motion to dismiss filed on behalf of state officials, who were sued because of the state’s unconstitutional process for restoring the right to vote for persons with felony convictions.
Read MoreOn March 30, 2022, a court ruled that a lawsuit in Tennessee fighting for the voting rights of individuals with felony convictions can move forward. This lawsuit could restore the right to vote for more than 451,000 Tennesseans with felony records, approximately 9% of the state’s total voting age population.
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