Thurston County Superior Court Judge Mary Sue Wilson ruled that Washington’s law authorizing automatic and mandatory license suspensions for unpaid moving violation fines without meaningful evaluation of the driver’s ability to pay the fine violates the state constitution’s right to due process.
Today’s ruling is not the first time the Supreme Court has been wrong. It’s sadly not the first time the Court has allowed official racism and xenophobia to continue, rather than standing up to it. As with earlier rulings, history will judge today’s decision harshly.