DOJ: Lawsuit should proceed over town’s police fines

Featured Legal News

The Justice Department is urging a federal judge to let a class-action lawsuit go forward against an Alabama town accused of policing for profit with excessive fines and aggressive enforcement of local laws.

The U.S. attorney’s office this week filed a statement of interest in the civil lawsuit against Brookside. The lawsuit was filed by four people who paid hundred of dollars in fines and said they were humiliated by what they described as a scheme to boost town revenue.

Brookside is seeking to dismiss the lawsuit. The Justice Department argued that it should proceed against the police department and local officials.

“Courts, prosecutors, and police should be driven by justice—not revenue,” an assistant U.S. attorney wrote in the court filing.

The Justice Department said the United States has an interest in enforcing federal laws regarding the imposition and enforcement of unlawful fines and fees. “The United States also has an interest in addressing practices that punish people for their poverty, in violation of their constitutional rights.”

Al.com reported in January that Brookside, which has a population of 1,253, saw revenue from fines and forfeitures jump 640 percent between 2018 and 2020 and grew to make up half the city’s total income.

Lawyers for the town, in seeking to dismiss the case, wrote in a court filing that, “very little is necessary to show that the fines and fees imposed by the Town of Brookside and/or the Brookside Municipal Court are rationally related to a governmental interest.”

Institute for Justice, a group representing the plaintiffs in the case, welcomed the Justice Department action.

“The Justice Department’s statement recognizes that Brookside’s abusive system of policing for profit violates the Constitution, and that the town should be held accountable,” Jaba Tsitsuashvili, a lawyer with the group, said in a statement.

Related listings

  • Ex-cop Kueng gets 3 years for violating Floyd’s rights

    Ex-cop Kueng gets 3 years for violating Floyd’s rights

    Featured Legal News 07/27/2022

    Former Minneapolis police Officer J. Alexander Kueng was sentenced Wednesday in federal court to three years in prison for violating George Floyd’s civil rights during the May 2020 killing.Kueng’s co-defendant Tou Thao was scheduled to be...

  • Louisiana seeks suspension of block on enforcement

    Louisiana seeks suspension of block on enforcement

    Featured Legal News 07/22/2022

    A day after a state judge blocked enforcement of Louisiana’s abortion ban, state officials asked the same judge to suspend his own ruling while they pursue an appeal.Lawyers for state Attorney General Jeff Landry and health secretary Courtney P...

  • Georgia abortion law challenge now focused on ‘personhood’

    Georgia abortion law challenge now focused on ‘personhood’

    Featured Legal News 07/17/2022

    Lawyers for the state of Georgia urged a federal appeals court to allow the state’s 2019 abortion law to take effect now that the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled there is no constitutional right to an abortion.Ruling in a case out of Mississippi, ...

New Rochelle, New York Work Accidents Lawyers

It doesn’t matter what type of work you do or where you work, you can always be at risk of injuring yourself at your work no matter how safe you may think it is. Accidents in the workplace are often caused by unsafe work conditions arising from ignoring safety rules, overlooking maintenance or other negligence of those in management. Work accidents can cause serious injuries and sometimes permanent damage. Some extremely serious work injuries can permanently hinder a person’s ability to get around and continue their daily duties.

Factors that affect one’s quality of life like place of work, relationships with friends and family, social standing can all be taken away quickly by a work injury. Although, you may not be able to recover all of your losses, you may be entitled to compensation as a result of your work injury. In order to ensure that you and your loved ones receive the best outcome, make sure you have the help of an experienced New Rochelle, New York workplace injury lawyer you deserve. We can get you on your way to filing a claim against the responsible party. If you have been injured at your place of work it is important to know your options by seeking legal action. Kommer Bave & Ollman LLP offers a free case evaluation where we will answer any questions you may have and explain your legal options. Call us at 914-633-7400 or contact our firm to schedule a free consultation with an experienced attorney.