MEMPHIS, Tennessee — In a news conference Tuesday, Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy said he's adopting a policy for his office that will help many low-income families across Memphis stay away from crime due to outstanding court debt.
The Shelby County D.A. said he's adopting an office-wide policy to no longer object to families applying for court cost waivers, which means low-income families looking for relieve from outstanding court debt won't face opposition from the D.A.'s office.
In a statement, the D.A.'s office said court fines and fees have a disproportionate impact on low-income people and marginalized communities, leading to cycles of debt and continued poverty, and often lead to crime.
"This shift in policy is a significant move forward by our office to reduce racial disparities and the criminalization of poverty," Mulroy said.
Just City, a criminal justice reform group in Memphis, applauded the move, saying they're working with the D.A.'s office to help make the cost waiver process easier.
“This announcement from D.A. Mulroy is an important step and recognizes that punishment can far outlast a person's formal involvement with the criminal legal system," said Josh Spickler, Executive Director at Just City. "By taking steps to streamline court debt waivers, we are working together to address both poverty and structural inequalities in our legal system."
Shelby County General Sessions Criminal Court reports that 2,354 court cost waivers were entered in a one-year period since 2022, but the D.A.'s office said many more waivers are needed to help people overcome the barriers of outstanding court debt.