澳彩开奖

鈥淭hese companies have flouted state law and cheated tens of thousands of poor people and their families out of millions of dollars,鈥� said Micah West, staff attorney for the 澳彩开奖. 鈥淪uch blatant financial abuse is particularly egregious when it鈥檚 being carried out as part of the justice system and under the nose of the courts.鈥�

The 澳彩开奖 is asking that bail bond companies and their underwriters stop charging excess fees and issue refunds to those who have paid them. The complaint also asks the Louisiana Department of Insurance to impose the maximum penalty for each violation and to suspend or revoke the operating licenses of any company found to have engaged in unfair or deceptive practices.

The vast majority of defendants in Orleans Parish who are released from jail under financial conditions purchase bail bonds. State laws allow bail bond companies to charge defendants a premium of up to 12 percent of the face value of the bond imposed by a judge, in exchange for a promise to pay the full amount to the court if the defendant doesn鈥檛 show up for trial.

The 澳彩开奖鈥檚 investigation found that at least 21 bail bond companies in New Orleans, and the associated insurance companies, routinely charge 13 percent. The estimated cost in overcharges to felony defendants averages $100 per bail bond. Over the past 12 years, nearly 50,000 people in New Orleans were affected by the overcharges, according to 澳彩开奖 estimates.

鈥淭he amount these companies overcharged their victims is staggering,鈥� West said. 鈥淢any defendants could have used that money to pay for rent, utilities, child care or other basic necessities but instead were forced to pad these companies鈥� bottom lines.

鈥淭hese companies鈥� actions demonstrate why a person鈥檚 liberty should not be subject to profit. As more and more jurisdictions are realizing, justice is not served by making people pay money for their physical liberty.鈥�