Thread by @NAACP_LDF

Senior Counsel @BrennanCenter , @SMoralesDoyle has just kicked off opening statements on behalf of the Gruver plaintiffs in the #JonesvDeSantis voting rights trial:

"This is the only way for returning citizens to end a lifetime of punishment."

"The evidence will show that most returning citizens in FL owe financial obligations and...they owe more than they can afford...because FL heaps debt upon them in order to raise revenue for the state."
- @SMoralesDoyle of @BrennanCenter in #JonesvDeSantis

“FL legislature knew what they were doing to Black Floridians

--and did it anyway.”

@SMoralesDoyle of @BrennanCenter in #JonesvDeSantis voting rights trial happening now

"If you are rich, if you are white, and if you are male, you have a much higher probability of being immune from SB 7066's onerous financial requirements."

-Nancy Abudu, Dep. Legal Director at @splcenter, in the historic #JonesvDeSantis voting rights #digitaltrial ⚖️

Calling to FL's history of anti-Black laws:
"SB 7066 is a dangerous law and takes us back to a time when only white men with property could vote."

-Nancy Abudu, Dep. Legal Director at @splcenter #JonesvDeSantis

.@NAACP_LDF Litigation Fellow John Cusick (@johnscusick) is conducting the first witness examination in the #JonesvDeSantis trial.

Ms. Moreland owes fees for an old felony conviction, but has a disability and is unable to work.

LDF Litigation Fellow @johnscusick: At some point do you plan to pay back your fees?

Ms. Moreland, LDF plaintiff: "I don’t have any extra money to pay anything, but if I had the money I would pay it because that’s the right thing to do.”

#JonesvDeSantis

When asked by @johnscusick why she joined the suit, LDF client Ms. Moreland expressed:

"For many African-American women, it’s like if you make a bad choice it’s held against you. It’s not like you can get a 2nd chance& I felt like this could be my 2nd chance.."

#JonesvDeSantis

.@ACLU is examining expert witness and political scientist Smith: "Anywhere between 58% and 68% of individuals who are determined by the court as indigent are unlikely to be able to pay."

#JonesvDeSantis

When asked by @ACLU about legal financial obligation (LFO) trends, Mr. Smith says, "...There is a clear racial pattern."

Mr. Smith's findings revealed that Black Floridians were more likely to owe fees that kept them from voting under SB 7066.

#JonesvDeSantis #DigitalTrial⚖️

Dr. Smith on his findings: "Blacks are disproportionately likely to owe substantial amounts of money--we're talking $500-1000, or even upwards of $1000."

#JonesvDeSantis #FreetheVote

.@ACLU's expert witness @electionsmith's findings are clear:

"Those who are indigent--who are represented by a public defender--are much more likely to owe money, less likely to have paid off their LFOs & more likely to owe substantial amts of money."

#JonesvDeSantis

The #JonesvDeSantis trial has resumed after a brief break. ⏲️

Expert witness @electionsmith is painting a picture of the financial challenges that those with felonies face:

"Many of them will not have any idea of how much restitution [they owe]..nor the ability to pay.."

.@NAACP_LDF Deputy Director of Litigation Leah Aden is just about to begin her examination of Dr. Traci Burch.

Dr. Burch is Assoc. Professor of Political Science at @NorthwesternU & has done extensive research on political participation in the US.

#JonesvDeSantis

Dr. Traci Burch just shared her findings:

1⃣ State agencies listed in SB7066 couldn't provide consistent information regarding LFOs owed to the state

2⃣ It can be impossible to pay only the amt owed at the time of sentencing w/o having to pay other fees

#JonesvDeSantis

Dr. Traci Burch's findings con'td...

3⃣ Offices often lack the expertise & capacity to help returning citizen determine what their LFOs were & which were disqualifying for voting purposes

4⃣ There are several burdensome costs affiliated with simply seeking the LFO information

Leah Aden (@NAACP_LDF ): Would it be surprising that people don't know how much debt they owe?

Dr. Burch: "No, based on my experience w/ all of the information that's provided by the state, it can be very confusing to find out how much you owe"

#JonesvDeSantis #FreetheVote

Dr. Burch: I think [this process] will make them less likely to register and to vote because this process is so costly and burdensome, but so high-stakes...it imposes a sometimes astronomical cost to research and then pay LFOs.

When researching the databases, Dr. Burch found that 40% of the counties cited in her research charge some sort of processing fee to make payments online. Some even charge an additional fee to access sentencing documents online.

A few of the issues Dr. Burch found when researching state databases:

1⃣No key provided to help read the documents

2⃣Clicking on certain documents would direct users to a pay site

3⃣Data was recorded inconsistently

4⃣Case numbers did not always match

#JonesvDeSantis

Leah Aden: What are some of the key takeaways from your assessment of payment issues?”

Dr. Burch: Even if you can make a determination of what number you think you should be paying, you face a number of barriers just on that payment.

#JonesvDeSantis

Dr. Burch: It’s a widespread problem. Just from what I can find online, people in 25 of 67 counties would be required to pay more than just the amount determined at the time of sentencing—especially if sent to collection- under SB 7066.

#JonesvDeSantis

Dr. Burch describes finding one's fees "a really, really, really difficult and confusing process."

FL forced returning citizens to pay off legal debt in order to vote, but made accurately identifying this debt nearly impossible. This is voter disenfranchisement.

#JonesvDeSantis

State of FL: "If you (a returning citizen) know you owe money & you believe you paid it, you should register to vote."

This is extremely risky advice--in FL, submitting incorrect info on a voter registration form is a felony punishable by up to 5 yrs in prison.

#JonesvDeSantis

.@NAACP_LDF Dep. Director of Litigation Leah Aden has approached the 'witness stand' to begin her redirect.

Aden: "Having reviewed this entire proposal have you seen anything in it that directs citizens how they should comply with SB 7066?"

Dr. Burch: "No."

#JonesvDeSantis ⚖️

Judge Hinkle has declared the court in recess until tomorrow at 9am EST, concluding the first day of the historic #JonesvDeSantis voting rights trial.