A class action lawsuit has been filed against Clinch County, Georgia; Winston Peterson, Sheriff of Clinch County; and Sissy Suggs, Deputy Sheriff of Clinch County on behalf of individuals who are being forced to pay for their "room and board" at the Clinch County Jail in Homerville, Georgia. According to the suit, before an inmate is released, they are required to sign a contract agreeing to pay the fee of $18 per day regardless of whether they have been convicted of a crime or whether they have the ability to pay. Inmates who do not pay may be picked up and incarcerated again. The suit alleges that by forcing inmates to pay the fees, which in some cases end up being more than $4,000, the defendants are abusing their authority.
According to the plaintiff's attorney, "It's like a debtors prison. They charge people who have not been convicted of any crime and are presumed innocent -- and throw them back in jail if they don't pay. This is simply an abuse of authority and something that needs to be stopped. By bringing this lawsuit, we hope to help the victims of this unlawful practice -- many of whom cannot afford the fees -- recoup the money they were wrongly forced to pay."
If you feel you qualify for damages or remedies that might be awarded in this class action please fill in our form on the right to submit your complaint.
If your injustice does not match the complaint described above, please use this form to register your complaint. Thank you.
