Municipal Judges Disciplined for Modern-Day Debtors’ Prisons

| January 12, 2017 

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2015/09/3293465641_b6c5081e87_b_gavel.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:1024;s:6:"height";i:768;s:4:"file";s:41:"2015/09/3293465641_b6c5081e87_b_gavel.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:12:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:41:"3293465641_b6c5081e87_b_gavel-336x252.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:252;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:5:"large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:41:"3293465641_b6c5081e87_b_gavel-771x578.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:578;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:41:"3293465641_b6c5081e87_b_gavel-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:12:"medium_large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:41:"3293465641_b6c5081e87_b_gavel-768x576.jpg";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:576;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:39:"3293465641_b6c5081e87_b_gavel-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:41:"3293465641_b6c5081e87_b_gavel-600x338.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:338;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:41:"3293465641_b6c5081e87_b_gavel-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:41:"3293465641_b6c5081e87_b_gavel-415x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:415;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:41:"3293465641_b6c5081e87_b_gavel-353x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:353;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:28:"ab-block-post-grid-landscape";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:41:"3293465641_b6c5081e87_b_gavel-600x400.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:400;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"ab-block-post-grid-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:41:"3293465641_b6c5081e87_b_gavel-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:41:"3293465641_b6c5081e87_b_gavel-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:701383;s:14:"optimized_size";i:426175;s:7:"percent";d:39.240000000000002;}s:5:"sizes";a:10:{s:4:"full";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:69:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/09/3293465641_b6c5081e87_b_gavel.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:438638;s:14:"optimized_size";i:241952;s:7:"percent";d:44.840000000000003;}s:9:"thumbnail";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:77:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/09/3293465641_b6c5081e87_b_gavel-140x140.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:6962;s:14:"optimized_size";i:5137;s:7:"percent";d:26.210000000000001;}s:6:"medium";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:77:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/09/3293465641_b6c5081e87_b_gavel-336x252.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:23336;s:14:"optimized_size";i:17358;s:7:"percent";d:25.620000000000001;}s:5:"large";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:77:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/09/3293465641_b6c5081e87_b_gavel-771x578.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:99626;s:14:"optimized_size";i:63779;s:7:"percent";d:35.979999999999997;}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:77:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/09/3293465641_b6c5081e87_b_gavel-600x338.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:48554;s:14:"optimized_size";i:35568;s:7:"percent";d:26.75;}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:77:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/09/3293465641_b6c5081e87_b_gavel-300x300.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:24680;s:14:"optimized_size";i:18296;s:7:"percent";d:25.870000000000001;}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:77:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/09/3293465641_b6c5081e87_b_gavel-415x311.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:33643;s:14:"optimized_size";i:24876;s:7:"percent";d:26.059999999999999;}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:77:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/09/3293465641_b6c5081e87_b_gavel-353x265.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:25944;s:14:"optimized_size";i:19209;s:7:"percent";d:25.960000000000001;}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => success
        )

)
1621431314 
1484210839

At the forefront in Alabama the last few years are municipal fines and the private companies that often collect them. Here’s the issue: a resident gets a parking ticket. But if he or she is poor and can’t scrape up enough money to pay it, fines or penalties increase. It’s even led to jail time in some cases. But disciplinary action against judges suggest the judicial system in Alabama is moving away from these tactics. Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald talks about the issue.

54% of support comes from members

 

Gulf South states among U.S. leaders for juvenile life without parole sentences, study shows

A youth sentencing study shows Alabama and Mississippi are among just four states that top the nation in new juvenile life without parole sentences since 2012.

Workers at Alabama’s Mercedes plants vote against joining a union

The workers voted 56% against the union, according to tallies released by the National Labor Relations Board, which ran the election.

Taylor Hunnicutt is championing her home state with debut album ‘Alabama Sound’

Alabama offers a diverse symphony of swampy rock, swaggering blues, murky country, and bone-rattling soul. It’s a sound singer-songwriter Taylor Hunnicutt recently reimagined on her debut album, Alabama Sound, which is out now.

UAB building among Alabama’s first to feature ‘bird safe’ glass

Advocates hope the new glass will prevent window collisions, a leading causes of bird mortality.

Researchers look into community health impact of wood pellet production in rural Mississippi

Brown University and Tougaloo College students are testing for potential air and noise pollution near the Drax wood pellet plant in Gloster, Mississippi.

Alabama coal company sued for a home explosion is delinquent on dozens of penalties

Crimson Oak Grove Resources has been cited for 204 safety violations since the March 8 blast, many involving “significant and substantial” safety violations.

More Front Page Coverage