Civil Rights and Equity of Legal Financial Obligations in North Carolina

The North Carolina Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights adopted a proposal to undertake a study of civil rights and equity of legal financial obligations (LFOs) in North Carolina. The focus of the Committee’s proposed inquiry was to review LFOs to examine (a) state practices governing LFOs, including the fees levied under the remit of LFOs; (b) collection practices by the state; (c) whether LFOs have a disparate impact on minority and indigent groups; and (d) the impact of LFOs on the basis of race, color, and income. The focus for this project is post-conviction LFOs as there is significant, separate work to be conducted around bail reform.