As if we need more proof that our so-called criminal justice system functions as a way to punish poor people and doesn’t give one shit about survivors of domestic violence, here’s a terrible, and deeply unsurprising, story out of Louisiana—local judges have been forcing people who are seeking restraining orders and then subsequently miss their court dates to pay steep fines for not showing up. Many of these people are, as one would expect, women who have experienced domestic abuse.
The Advocate identified at least 100 people in 2019 who, for various reasons, “failed to appear” at their court dates after receiving a temporary restraining order and were subsequently ordered by the East Baton Rouge Parish Family Court to pay hundreds of dollars in fines and fees.
The unexpected price tag has left multiple women — already struggling to reach financial independence from their abusers — with the same takeaway: “Don’t waste your time seeking a restraining order.”This includes women like Antoinette Dixon, whose boyfriend had, according to her request for a restraining order, “kicked her, choked her, spat on her, beat her with the splintered leg of a wooden table and broke into her house.
“Their main concern was the money. I didn’t even get a chance to talk to the judge at all,” Dixon said, echoing the experiences of several other women. At least three women separately said they were told by staff that if they didn’t pay the $50 minimum, they would be sent to jail. In some cases, the court has issued bench warrants for women who failed to appear at the cost review hearings.As one woman put it, “It made me feel like it’s more about money than protecting women.” Sounds about right.
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