Ohios Chief Justice Stands Up to Jeff Sessions in Support of Low-Income People.

[elleng]

'In late December, Attorney General Jeff Sessions rescinded crucial guidance that advised courts not to unfairly punish people simply for being poor. While Sessions furthers the criminalization of poverty, Ohio’s chief justice is reminding her judges that the people who pass through their courtrooms are not ATMs.

On January 29, Maureen O’Connor sent a letter to all Ohio trial judges to ensure they were aware that the law has not changed and “court cases are not business transactions.” Her thoughtful letter is a stark contrast to Jeff Sessions’ abrupt decision to rescind a guidance that had helped judges and court administrators around the country reform court practices to guard against abuses like debtors’ prisons — the jailing of poor people who cannot afford to pay court fines and fees.

O’Connor made clear that despite the department’s decision, the Constitution remains the supreme law of the land and that the rights enshrined in that document are unchanged. She also reminded judges of their obligation to serve the public and promote fairness and equal treatment of rich and poor:

“We have a special responsibility to act in a manner that bolsters public trust and confidence in the fair administration of justice for everyone. Practices that penalize the poor simply because of their economic state; that impose unreasonable fines, fees, or bail … upon on our citizens to raise money or cave to local funding pressure; or that create barriers to access to justice are simply wrong. No rescission of guidance by the [DOJ] changes that.”

As co-chair of the National Task Force on Fines, Fees, and Bail Practices, O’Connor has long been a leader in Ohio and the nation on reforming practices that criminalize poverty. With the stroke of a pen, O’Connor showed leadership at a time when the country needs it. Her letter brings attention to the devastating impact of excessive court fines and fees and bail practices on the lives of low-income people and the justice system’s obligation to protect people’s rights, even when they are poor.

In Ohio, particularly, O’Connor’s letter is crucial.'>>>

https://www.aclu.org/blog/criminal-law-reform/ohios-chief-justice-stands-jeff-sessions-support-low-income-people

[SWBTATTReg]

1. Jeff Sessions does not do this country any favors...

Leaders like O'Connor stand out above the crowd, w/ no effort. Jeff Sessions is a little weasel, and is one of the ones who perpetuated the greatest hoax in a generation on this country by being one of the first to endorse tRUMP.

And now, he lashing out, ignoring or riding roughshod over historical court precedents, and/or justice department edicts, on the rule of rule (in effect, changing the rules of law), in an effort to bring to the forefront his own brand of justice and lawyering, on issues of his own, and disregarding those issues that are brought on the 'real world' in 'real time', thus delaying critical judgments on the 'true' issues of the day.

By doing so, Jessie Sessions is negatively impacting (or flooding) the entire court systems w/ mundane and redundant topics already dealt w/ in the past, and bog down further, a court system already bulging with too many cases and not enough resources to properly handle.

The Federal court appointees, are appointed for life. State judges are voted on by voters within each state. At least we have a little bit of protection/insulation from this current administration in its reckless and headstrong plummet into turning back the clocks on prior judgments made by previous sitting court judges.