This court case is active
In April 2017, ACLU-WA filed a writ of mandamus in the Washington Supreme Court challenging Grant County District Court’s practice of imposing legal financial obligations (LFOs) upon conviction without an individualized assessment of a defendant’s ability to pay. The Washington Supreme Court, in State v. Blazina, stated that courts must assess an individual’s ability to pay before ordering them to pay LFOs. Most defendants appearing in the court have a public defender or other court-appointed counsel representing them, and are therefore clearly indigent according to Washington law. The case will be considered for acceptance by the Supreme Court after September 5, 2017.
