Fines
European Commission Fines Apple and Meta $800 Million
The penalty amounts to a "multibillion-dollar tariff," a Meta spokesperson says.
The Government Threatened To Seize His Home Over Tall Grass
Bureaucrats in Dunedin, Florida, originally hit Jim Ficken with a fine close to $30,000. When he couldn't pay that, things turned dire.
The European Commission Is Assaulting American Tech Companies
Meta, Apple, Microsoft, and others have all faced legal action from the European Union in recent years.
Ohio Legislature Passes Bill Ending Driver's License Suspensions for Court Debts
Media investigations found over 3 million active license suspensions in the state.
European Commission Fines Meta for Serving Consumers
If advertisers don’t want to give data to Facebook Marketplace, they shouldn’t advertise on Facebook.
Iowa Supreme Court is Considering if the State Can Charge Acquitted Defendants for Court-Appointed Attorneys
Iowa has one of the most aggressive court systems in the country when it comes to billing defendants for court-appointed attorneys, even in cases where they're acquitted or charges are dropped.
Justice Department Says a Small Mississippi Town Ran a Dickensian Debtor's Prison
Federal investigators say police in Lexington, Mississippi, used illegal searches, excessive force, and kept residents in jail when they couldn't pay off old fines.
Students in This Illinois School District Are Getting Tickets for Misbehaving
The fines, which can reach over $750, are disproportionately likely to be handed out to black students, a complaint with the Education Department alleges.
California Politician Proposes Bill Making It Illegal To Contact Employees After Working Hours
State Rep. Matt Haney says he wants to attract workers back to California. But his "right to disconnect" legislation would likely scare businesses away.
Ending Fees and Fines for Juvenile Offenders is Best for Rehabilitation
A former chief judge of Delaware's Family Court argues that imposing fines and fees on juvenile offenders undermines their potential to become productive, law-abiding adults.
The Federal Government Is Trying To Shut Down Decentralized Finance
The Commodities Futures Trading Commission announces charges and settlements with three companies that may mean very bad news for all DeFi operations doing business with U.S. citizens.
European Union Fines Meta $1.3 Billion Because of NSA Spying Programs
The record penalty seems to be based less on the Facebook parent company's lax data practices than the U.S. intelligence community's data-collection programs.
NYC May Force Rich People To Pay Higher Parking Fines Than the Poor
A pilot proposal to levy civil fines based on income is being considered by the City Council.
L.A. Plans To Scrap Its Genuinely Good Outdoor Dining Program and Replace It With Rules, Fees, and Paperwork
The L.A. City Council saw a good thing happening and decided government wasn't involved enough.
They Fell Behind on Their Property Taxes. So the Government Sold Their Homes—and Kept the Profits.
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear 94-year-old Geraldine Tyler's case challenging home equity theft.
Police Killed 1,183 People in 2022. Despite a Viral Claim, That's Not a 'Record High.'
Any unjustified killing by the government demands public attention. But fatal shootings by police used to be much more common.
Woman Can Sue Alabama Cops for Towing Car as Part of Town's Profiteering Scheme
A federal judge denied qualified immunity for officers accused of making up charges to get money from fines.
Decriminalizing Jaywalking in California Will Help Reduce Police Harassment
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill in September that will chip away at a policy that has long been criticized as enabling racially-motivated policing.
He Didn't Break Any Rules. New York City Is Demanding He Pay a Fine Anyway
The Big Apple's building regulations are almost impossible to navigate, and officials like it that way.
This Alabama Town's Shakedowns Are So Egregious That the Justice Department Is Backing a Suit Against It
Brookside faces several federal challenges for trying to fund its city by ticketing and towing the cars of anybody they can get away with.
San Francisco Fines Businesses for Getting Vandalized
The city halted its practice of fining graffitied businesses during the pandemic. But now it's firing up its enforcement machine again.
Illinois Appeals Court Rules Chicago Slapped Drivers With Illegally High Fines for Years
A plaintiff in the class-action lawsuit says he had to declare bankruptcy after Chicago dumped $20,000 of ticket debts on him.
Chicago's More Aggressive Speed Cameras Issued 2.8 Million Tickets Last Year
The city's army of 160 speed cameras issued a ticket every 11 seconds during 2021 and generated $89 million in revenue.
Police Chief of Alabama Town That Was Getting Fat on Fines Steps Down Amid Bipartisan Outrage
Last week, Chief Mike Jones defended his campaign of fining everybody in sight. This week, he resigned.
A Tiny Alabama Town Is Growing Its Police Force by Fining Everybody in Sight
Brookside officers have been accused of fabricating violations and are being sued.
The Excessive, Unjust Enforcement of Petty Traffic Laws Causes Too Many Americans To Lose their Driver's Licenses
Since lacking licenses can lead to lacking the ability to work (and pay fines), offenses like parking tickets or failing to come to a complete halt at stop signs can upend lives unjustly.
Washington's Top Court Cracks Down on Excessive City Fines
A homeless man’s truck was impounded in Seattle and he couldn’t afford the costs to get it back. That’s unconstitutional, justices rule.
$547 Fine Violates Excessive Fines Clause, When It Exceeds the Target's Ability to Pay
So the Washington Supreme Court holds in a case involving a man who was living in his truck, and who had to pay the money when his truck was impounded for being parked too long in one place.
This Woman Faces $165,000 in Fines for 3 Trivial Code Violations
Sandy Martinez is challenging the exorbitant penalty for driveway cracks, a storm-damaged fence, and cars parked in an "unapproved" manner on her own property.
A City Charged This Woman More Than $100,000 for Parking on Her Own Property
Sandy Martinez says that fine, along with another $63,500 for driveway cracks and a downed fence, violates Florida's constitution.
When Your Outfit Is Made Illegal
When fabulous clothes are outlawed, only outlaws will be fabulous.
