Comments on: Are Court Fees as Wrong as Poll Taxes? http://www.kipesquire.net/2008/08/are-court-fees-as-wrong-as-poll-taxes/ A Stitch in Time Saves Nine ... But Haste Makes Waste Mon, 29 Nov 2010 16:02:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Daniel Quackenbush http://www.kipesquire.net/2008/08/are-court-fees-as-wrong-as-poll-taxes/comment-page-1/#comment-6754 Daniel Quackenbush Sun, 03 Aug 2008 05:13:32 +0000 http://www.kipesquire.net/?p=4793#comment-6754 Kip: A guilty defendant, on the other hand, should be required to contribute, to whatever extent is not unduly burdensome, to the cost of the justice administered to him. Me: This is also a disincentive for even innocent defendants to exercise their right to trial. As Kip should know, many innocent people plead guilty because it's usually "the cop's word" against the defendant's word. The cop almost always wins. Cops are taught how to lie (not *to* lie) in court testimony, so they are good at it. In California, parents are charged for the services of a public defender and for certain costs of incarceration (the costs can be substantial), so the parents will pressure the juvenile to not exercise their rights and plead guilty. One time I contested this fee, and the judge had to postpone the hearing because he had "never had anybody challenge it." Kip: A guilty defendant, on the other hand, should be required to contribute, to whatever extent is not unduly burdensome, to the cost of the justice administered to him.

Me: This is also a disincentive for even innocent defendants to exercise their right to trial. As Kip should know, many innocent people plead guilty because it's usually "the cop's word" against the defendant's word. The cop almost always wins. Cops are taught how to lie (not *to* lie) in court testimony, so they are good at it.

In California, parents are charged for the services of a public defender and for certain costs of incarceration (the costs can be substantial), so the parents will pressure the juvenile to not exercise their rights and plead guilty.

One time I contested this fee, and the judge had to postpone the hearing because he had "never had anybody challenge it."

]]> By: The Crossed Pond » Are Courts Fees Legitimate? http://www.kipesquire.net/2008/08/are-court-fees-as-wrong-as-poll-taxes/comment-page-1/#comment-6747 The Crossed Pond » Are Courts Fees Legitimate? Sat, 02 Aug 2008 04:46:43 +0000 http://www.kipesquire.net/?p=4793#comment-6747 [...] Hat tip to Kip Esquire for a really interesting question. Are court fees akin to poll taxes? [...] [...] Hat tip to Kip Esquire for a really interesting question. Are court fees akin to poll taxes? [...]

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