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The "intractable problem" for prosecutors created by the Driver Responsibility surcharge

Over at DA Confidential, "The Assistant" (a Texas assistant county attorney who blogs anonymously) has a post describing the "intractable problem" of driving-with-license-suspended cases and the Driver Responsibility surcharge, offering an especially enlightened (and unusual) approach.Here?s the problem. For many people, their license is suspended as the result of a DWI or for not having insurance. Then after they?re convicted of that offense, in addition to the fines and court costs, the State imposes a ?driver responsibility fee.? This Orwellian named program requires payments of $200 to $1,000 a year for three years in order to reinstate the defendant?s driver?s license. If you don?t pay the fees, your license is suspended. This creates a Catch-22 that Grits for Breakfast has covered in more depth than I could possibly give here...continue to full post

Full post as published by Grits for Breakfast on April 22, 2010 (boomark / email).