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Georgia: Child Support Contempt Findings Create Debtor’s Prisons
by David M. Reutter
The Great Recession has put millions of Americans out of work, which has caused more people than usual to become delinquent on their child support obligations and other debts. Many courts, especially those in Georgia and South Carolina, have reacted to child support delinquencies by finding …
The Great Recession has put millions of Americans out of work, which has caused more people than usual to become delinquent on their child support obligations and other debts. Many courts, especially those in Georgia and South Carolina, have reacted to child support delinquencies by finding …
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More from this issue:
- U.S. Supreme Court Holds California’s Prison Overcrowding Violates Eighth Amendment, Must be Remediated by Population Reduction, by John Dannenberg
- California: Controversy Surrounds Governor’s Grant of Clemency to Son of Political Friend, by Michael Brodheim
- $5.25 Million Paid to Former Ohio Prisoner for Wrongful Murder Conviction
- Deaths of Three North Carolina Prisoners Raise Suspicions, by Matthew Clarke
- From the Editor, by Paul Wright
- Washington DOC Agrees to Change Sexual Abuse Policies, by David Reutter
- San Francisco Blanket Jail Strip Search Policy Upheld in Ninth Circuit En Banc Ruling, by Michael Brodheim
- Why I Care About Prisoner Rights, by David Hudson
- Low Rates in Michigan DOC Phone Contract Demonstrate Actual Cost of Prison Phone Services, by Alex Friedmann
- Paroled Killers Rarely Re-Offend, by Michael Brodheim
- Anti-Private Prison Group Rips Revolving Door for Federal Employees After CCA Hires Former BOP Director
- Ninth Circuit: Prison Visitation Privileges May be Temporarily Restricted for Legitimate Penological Reasons
- New York Parolee Detained Without Hearing; City Not Entitled to Summary Judgment, by Mark Wilson
- State Audit Finds Maryland Prison Employees Misused Funds in Prisoner Accounts, by Matthew Clarke
- The Incredible Honey Bun Behind Bars, by David Reutter
- Ninth Circuit Applies Houston Mailbox Rule to § 1983 Actions
- Former Virginia Beach Sheriff Received Insider Information on Jail Contract, by Matthew Clarke
- Fifth Circuit: Habeas Petition Challenging Recent Parole Denial Not Considered Successive, by Matthew Clarke
- California Prisoner’s Life Sentence Upheld for Tossing Food Tray at Guard, by Michael Brodheim
- Vermont Parole Law Change Violates Ex Post Facto Clause
- Tenth Circuit Vacates Class Certification in Jail Conditions Suit; Case Settles Following Remand, by Mark Wilson
- Ninth Circuit: Despite Award of Only Nominal Damages, Attorney Fees Appropriate in § 1983 Wrongful Death Suit
- Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Clarifies Erroneous Conviction Claims, by Matthew Clarke
- Fourth Circuit Upholds Federal Civil Commitment Statute Against Constitutional Challenge
- Third Circuit Holds Blanket Policy of Strip Searching Arrestees, Absent Reasonable Suspicion, is Constitutional; Cert Granted, by Michael Brodheim
- Ninth Circuit Holds PLRA Fee Cap for Court-Appointed Counsel Also Applies to Paralegal Fees
- Six New Jersey Jail Guards Arrested for Assaulting Prisoners
- Washington: Eye Gouging Assault Severely Injures Airway Heights Prisoner, by Derek Gilna
- Inmate Accident Compensation Act Does Not Preclude Bivens Remedy
- Deficient Medical Care Leads to Preventable Death of Seattle, Washington Jail Prisoner
- In-Prison Filmmaker Prepares Next Release, by David Reutter
- U.S. Department of Justice Report Puts Price Tag on Preventing Prison Rape, by Matthew Clarke
- Georgia: Child Support Contempt Findings Create Debtor’s Prisons, by David Reutter
- Pennsylvania DOC Agrees to Comply with Clean Air Act at Four Prisons, by David Reutter
- Former Deputy Sheriff Gets LWOP for Murder of California Prison Guard
- $16 Million Federal Jury Award in Texas Jail Beating Suit, by Matthew Clarke
- Florida Pre-Release Officer’s Federal Convictions Affirmed
- Baltimore Jail’s Warden, Seven Guards Suspended Pending Excessive Force Investigation
- Seventh Circuit Finds Appeal is Timely Despite E-Filing Error
- Failure to Protect May Raise Claim Under Federal Tort Claims Act, by Matthew Clarke
- New York: Double Jeopardy Prohibits Imposition of Post-release Supervision Once Defendant is Released from Custody
- Fifth Circuit Clarifies Procedure for PLRA Failure-to-Exhaust Dismissals
- A Cage by Any Other Name is Still a Cage: Mentally Ill California Prisoners Caged, by Michael Brodheim
- Ninth Circuit Denies Arizona Prisoner Access to Dedicated Discharge Account
- Queer (In)justice: The Criminalization of LGBT People in the United States, by Joey L. Mogul, Andrea J. Ritchie and Kay Whitlock (Beacon Press, Feb. 2011), 216 pages, $27.95, by Daniel R. Schaffer
- “America’s Sheriff” Begins Serving Federal Prison Sentence
- News In Brief
More from David Reutter:
- Washington State Guard’s Conviction Affirmed in Self-Inflicted Gunshot Wound Scheme, March 1, 2026
- Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Holds Motion Judge Abused Discretion by Denying Evidentiary Hearing on IAC Claim Where Plea Counsel’s Affidavit Was Not Inherently Inconsistent With Colloquy Statements Regarding Immigration Advice, March 1, 2026
- Washington Supreme Court Clarifies Double Jeopardy Analysis for Multiple Assault Convictions, Holding That Assaultive Acts Occurring Over Short Time Period in Same Location Without Intervening Events Constitute Single Course of Conduct, March 1, 2026
- New Jersey Supreme Court Reverses Drug Convictions Under Cumulative Error Doctrine, Holding Combined Effect of Improper References to Television Series, Gun Violence, and Search Warrants Deprived Defendant of Fair Trial, March 1, 2026
- New York Court of Appeals Announces Coercive Police Tactics Compelling Suspect to Exit Home Constitute “Constructive Entry” Violating Payton, Holds Attenuation Analysis Applies to Third-Party Consent, March 1, 2026
- Fourth Circuit Revives Deliberate Indifference Claim for Baltimore Detainee Served Rotten Food, March 1, 2026
- Fourth Circuit Clarifies Revocation Appeal Provides “Procedurally Appropriate Mechanism” for Raising Rogers Challenge to Unannounced Supervised Release Conditions, Vacates Revocation Judgment Based on Null Standard Conditions, March 1, 2026
- Eleventh Circuit: District Court Erred in Dismissing BOP Prisoner’s Medical Claim, Finds Prison Officials Made Administrative Remedies Unavailable, March 1, 2026
- Tenth Circuit Affirmed Denial of Guards Qualified Immunity in Disabled Detainee’s Fourteenth Amendment Claim, March 1, 2026
- The Malleable Mind in the Courtroom: Why Confident Eyewitnesses Often Provide the Least Reliable Evidence, Oct. 15, 2025
More from these topics:
- Judge Orders Rikers Manager Must Fix Jail in Seven Years Or Less, April 1, 2026. Prison Reform, Totality of Conditions, Jail Specific, Contempt (Civil Procedure), Consent Decrees.
- Watchdog Blasts BOP for Failure to Treat Prisoner’s Preventable Cancer, March 1, 2026. Systemic Medical Neglect, Cancer, Failure to Treat, Contempt (Civil Procedure), Compassionate Release.
- Suicidal West Virginia Prisoner Granted Transfer From 13-Year Solitary Confinement, Dec. 1, 2025. Contempt (Civil Procedure), Control Units/SHU/Solitary Confinement, Failure to Treat (Mental Illness), Suicides, Deliberate Indifference.
- Settlement Bars Family Separations at U.S. Border Until 2031, Pays $6.4 Million in Legal Fees and Costs, March 1, 2025. Settlements, Family, Enforcement of Immigration Laws, Immigration Law/Offenses.
- Philadelphia Held in Contempt of Jail Conditions Settlement, Ordered to Pay $25 Million, Feb. 15, 2025. Conditions of Confinement, Settlements, Contempt (Civil Procedure), Policy Considerations, Fines.
- New York City Held in Contempt in Long-Running Rikers Island Class-Action, Jan. 15, 2025. Guard Brutality/Beatings, Contempt (Civil Procedure), Consent Decrees, Class Actions.
- $25 Million Contempt Fine Prompts Release of Pretrial Detainees from Philadelphia Lockups, Dec. 15, 2024. Appointment of Counsel, Contempt (Civil Procedure), Bail/Pretrial Release, Fines.
- Missouri DOC Chief Held in Contempt of Court for Keeping Exonerated Prisoner Locked Up, Sept. 15, 2024. Contempt (Civil Procedure), Overdetention, Actual Innocence/Claim of Innocence.
- Missouri Moms Jailed After Kids Miss Too Much School, April 1, 2024. Family, Mothers in Prison, Children of Prisoners, Vagueness/Overbreadth.
- Illinois Failing to Grant Dying Prisoners Medical Releases, March 1, 2024. Failure to Treat, Contempt (Civil Procedure), Class Actions, Compassionate Release.

