Earlier this week a federal court judge determined that the State of Tennessee’s practice of revoking the driver’s licenses of individuals who cannot afford to pay court costs is unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Aleta Trauger noted in her opinion that the practice was not only ineffective but counter-productive.
The effect of the ruling is Tennessee must immediately stop that practice, and people who have had their licenses suspended solely for outstanding court costs can apply for reinstatement. There are similar laws in other states across the country, and this ruling could spur challenges to those laws on the same grounds.