Olympia attorney lends a hand to help low-income reclaim driver’s licenses
By Jeremy Pawloski, The Olympian (Olympia, Wash.) | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
The
Today, the collection agencies are off Baker's back, and Baker is paying off one of his
"I love it," Baker said of the work he does at the food bank. "The people there are really nice."
Baker said that after his fines are taken care of, he dreams of being able to drive again.
"I'd like to be able to drive to the beach on a hot day," or visit relatives, he said. "I can't do these things."
Baker's good fortune is the result of the free legal work being undertaken by
Ultimately, Owen said, her goal is to file motions with the courts to reduce traffic fines and help her clients get their driver's licenses back.
Every day, police across the state issue fines for routine traffic violations like failure to wear a seat belt, speeding, driving without documentation of insurance, or even something as simple as an illegal lane change, to name just a few.
Owen pointed out that for most people, the misfortune of having to pay a traffic fine is a hassle, but doable. But for a single mother or someone on a fixed-income, the misfortune of getting a traffic ticket can be catastrophic, she said.
That's because when people are unable to pay traffic fines, they grow exponentially. Left unpaid, a
As Baker said: "It just gets bigger, bigger, and bigger if you ignore it.
In worst-case scenarios, Owen said she has seen people left with up to
As Baker said: "It just gets bigger, bigger, and bigger if you ignore it."
The state
"Not having a license is a barrier to work, and it is a public safety problem," Owen said.
The crime of "driving while license suspended," or DWLS, is a misdemeanor offense which takes up between a quarter and one-third of all cases in
Owen said that in 2011,
"We would like a statewide solution to this," she said.
Owen said she and other staff attorneys are trying to spread the work about the work the
In
"Community service hours are a great way to give back," Meyer said.
Meyer also said in certain circumstances, a judge will grant motions that allow fines to be removed from collection agencies.
The results of Owen's work on behalf of qualifying indigent defendants can be "life changing," according to
A year ago, Boyer said she owed
Boyer said she is now working to pay off one of her traffic tickets by doing community service work at the nursing home where she is employed. Owen worked out a payment plan so that another ticket that was formerly in collections is now being paid off at a rate of
Having a driver's license has helped Boyer stay employed, and drive her children back and forth from day care, she said.
"I have my driver's license back, I have insurance," she said. "It's been a life-changing experience getting my license back."
Boyer and Baker both said that the work Owen did with the courts to get their traffic fines back on track was merely a matter of filing motions with the court. Neither had to actually appear before a judge to get the process started.
"I don't think I could have managed it on my own," Boyer said of Owen's work.
To contact the
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