Legal Pro Bono opportunity
Payment Plan Laws Compliance Review: The 2021 Florida legislature passed SB 838. This law requires the clerks of court to develop a uniform plan to establish payment for people incurring fines. See Fla. Stat. 28.42(2)-(3) (2021. In the 2022 Florida legislative session HB 397 was passed. This law is based on a citizen’s ability to pay fines and fees imposed by the court. The law provides a formula for calculating general payments as well as a formula for down payments, if the clerk requires a down payment. See Fla. Stat. 28.246 (4)(b.)1-2 (2022).
The Fines and Fees Justice Center (FFJC) needs 4 to 5 second or third year students to help verify that each of the 67 Florida Clerks of Court are using the uniform payment plan form; and are calculating the payments and downpayment correctly. Students will use a combination of public records requests and information available on the various clerk of court websites to verify this information.
This research will help the FFJC determine if the new laws are being followed and may serve as the basis for future litigation.
If you are interested in working on this legal pro bono project please send your resume and a brief cover letter to Professor Scully at [email protected] no later than Monday September 26th at 12 noon.