When you’re charged with a crime, it can feel like the worst day of your life. Unfortunately, on top of the emotional component of going through the criminal justice system, an arrest can be costly. Extremely costly. In most places in the United States, a host of fees can be piled onto an arrest and incarceration.
In addition to the cost of a defendant posting bail, counties can charge an individual for the cost of a court-appointed attorney and a host of booking-related fees. While there can often be a knee-jerk reaction from the public that says, “they should have to pay,” this actually runs counter to many criminal rehabilitation efforts in California.
After all, while the goal of the criminal justice system is to protect society and support victims of crimes by holding defendants accountable for their crimes — it is also to eventually return a now (hopefully) law-abiding citizen to society. Our justice system does not seek to provide lifelong punishment. Once a crime has been atoned for, the intent is to return an individual to their home.
Often, however, this effort toward rehabilitation is hampered by the criminal justice system itself. For example, arrest records can follow a defendant long after they have served their sentence or participated in a diversionary program. This can damage everything from relationships to employment opportunities and professional licensing.
Another challenge to individuals who are attempting to reintegrate into society is hefty fines and fees. It can be extremely challenging for a person who has been incarcerated to pay such fees and a roadblock to a true second chance.
TWENTY-THREE WAIVED FEES OFFER A WAVE OF RELIEF FOR DEFENDANTS
Among recent efforts to improve reintegration and reduce recidivism among Californians is Assembly Bill 1869, also known as the “Families Over Fees Act”. The state bill reins in the authority for counties to charge a defendant for some of the most challenging fees and fines.
In all, it restricts counties from charging defendants for 23 different fines and fees. Among them are those for administering probation, mandatory supervision and home detention programs, processing arrests, and more. The state legislation includes $65 million to counties to offset lost revenues they would have received from the fees.
Effective July 1, 2021, courts can’t impose or collect the following fees:
GOVERNMENT CODE:
- 27712 (public defense fee)
- 27753 (cost of counsel)
- 29550(c) (criminal justice administration fee)
- 29550(f) (administrative screening fee and citation processing fee)
- 29550.1 (criminal justice administration fee)
- 29550.2 (county booking fee)
- 29550.3 (city booking fee)
PENAL CODE:
- 987.4 (minor public defense fee)
- 987.5 (public defense registration fee)
- 987.8 (public defense fee)
- 1203 (interstate compact supervision)
- 1203.016(g) (adult home detention administrative fee)
- 1203.018(j) (electronic monitoring administrative fee)
- 1203.1b (probation department investigation/progress report fee)
- 1203.1e (parole supervision fee)
- 1208.2(b) (program administrative fee)
- 1210.15 (continuous electronic monitoring fee)
- 3010.8 (parole continuous electronic monitoring fee)
- 4024.2(e) (work furlough administrative fee)
- 6266 (work furlough program fee)
We believe this is important legislation that will help lead our clients and other defendants back to a better life and one that’s free of any further criminal actions. This is especially true for the families of juveniles. In fact, we remain so concerned about the affordability of quality legal representation that we have specifically tailored our fees to maximize the benefit to our clients while reducing unnecessary fees and costs.
PROVIDING A TRUE SECOND CHANCE THAT IS FINANCIALLY ACCESSIBLE
For those who are seeking to reintegrate into society, it is crucial that they not be dragged down by large debts and criminal records that can hamper their future employment. Once a defendant has served their sentence, it should be considered served. Reducing recidivism — keeping defendants from committing further crimes — is an appropriate goal for our state. It helps to reduce the collective cost all Californians pay for our criminal justice system and incarcerations.
To work toward this goal, we must give defendants every opportunity to be successful as they begin their life anew. Hidden fees have never been a part of Proper Defense. Affordable, quality representation is one of the main reasons I founded the criminal defense wing of this firm. As mentioned in a recent blog about your right to quality representation, we don’t charge for hidden overhead expenses that can really add up, like secretarial time, word processing, employee overtime, online legal research, internal copying, faxing, and local or long-distance calls. Instead, we offer fixed prices (including a monthly fixed-fee retainer program) that are tailored to your needs and, most importantly, your budget.
By taking on the risk of mounting legal fees with you by not passing them along to you, our agreed-upon fixed fee can provide the ultimate peace of mind. And a case closed without legal fees dragging you back into it emotionally and financially! Read more about what makes Proper Defense different.
REPRESENTATION YOU CAN TRUST (AND AFFORD!) WITH PROPER DEFENSE
You deserve proper representation and a true second chance, unencumbered by fees and other unnecessary stresses. The Proper Defense can help you assess if AB1869 applies to you — and, regardless — help you afford your best outcome.
For a true advocate that you can trust, in a judgment-free zone, contact Proper Defense Law Corporation today. For a FREE consultation in the Fresno area, call (559) 825-3800. You can reach us at our Beverly Hills location by calling (424) 284-4066. You can also schedule an appointment online on our Contact Us page. It gets better with Proper Defense, we promise.
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