by Ohio Town Cancels Controversial Fee for Appealing Camera Tickets
The small town of Willowick Hills in Ohio has discontinued the practice of charging drivers a $25 fee for the right to appeal tickets issued by traffic cameras. Previously, to file an appeal, one had to pay this fee, even though the fines themselves ranged from $150 to $300.
The civil rights organization Institute for Justice called this practice unconstitutional because it limited drivers’ right to due process.
“The Constitution guarantees the right to due process before depriving citizens of their property, including money,” stated attorney Bobby Taylor.
Reaction from Authorities and Rights Defenders
Local government representatives claim that the fee was established by the municipal court, not the city, and deny that this system incentivized the police to issue more fines. However, rights defenders insist that the right to a free appeal must be guaranteed regardless of the driver’s financial status.
This is not the first such case in Ohio – the Institute for Justice has previously succeeded in getting similar fees abolished in the city of Peninsula. Following their intervention, Willowick Hills also abandoned the controversial practice that had caused outrage among local drivers. Such systems are often criticized for being more focused on filling the budget than on actually improving road safety.
