Case: Meridian Mississippi Court Costs Settlement

No Court

Filed Date: 2019

Clearinghouse coding in progress

Case Summary

(This summary is temporary, while we research the case.)

On April 2, 2019, the city of Meridian, Mississippi entered into a settlement agreement with the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) and the MacArthur Justice Center regarding the fines and fees imposed by its municipal court. This agreement came after an investigation by the civil rights organizations. While the complete settlement is not available to the Clearinghouse, press releases from the SPLC and the MacArthur Justice Center indicate that the city had incarcerated people who were unable to pay their court costs and required people charged with misdemeanors to post cash bail to avoid detention.

This Meridian settlement followed similar settlements by the cities of Jackson and Corinth, Mississippi, which SPLC and the MacArthur Justice Center reached after litigation.

Documents in the Clearinghouse

	Document
	Mississippi City Agrees to Overhaul Fine Mississippi City Agrees to Overhaul Fine and Bail Practices Following Investigation and Bail Practices Following Investigation by Civil Rights Organizations by Civil Rights Organizations	April 2, 2019	April 2, 2019 Press Release
	Southern Poverty Law Center Press Release	April 2, 2019	April 2, 2019 Press Release