Fighting unconstitutional taxes disguised as court fees

Emily DePrang at the Texas Observer has filed a report on former GOP Court of Criminal Appeals candidate Jani Wood's laudable crusade against unfair and unconstitutional court fees. Her latest victory proved the state's "DNA record fee" is an unconstitutional tax. Read the whole thing.

NPR last year ran an extensive series on court fees, see:

• As court fees rise, poor are paying the price
• Unpaid court fees land the poor in 21st century Debtors Prisons
• Supreme Court ruling not enough to prevent Debtors Prisons
• Big fees for the Big Easy's poorest defendants
• Court fees drive many poor defendants underground
• State by state court fees

See also prior Grits coverage of Ms. Wood's court-cost litigation:

• 'DNA record fee' declared unconstitutional because funds hijacked for other uses
• Official: Millions in court costs illegally collected, probations wrongly revoked, based on new CCA opinion
• Harris Public Defender: Habeas writs possible over improperly seized commissary funds after court costs ruling
• Harris County loses expensive $234 judgement on court costs