How should the court deal with local funding and authorities who see it as a “cash cow“ to generate local revenue from such things as traffic and parking infractions?
The independence of the judiciary requires that courts be free of political influences, not be subject in their operation to revenue-production requirements, and provide impartial judges and hearing officers. Once fines and fees have been imposed, however, respect for the dignity of the law and maintenance of the court’s integrity require that the court take appropriate steps to ensure that fines and fees are collected. See David C. Steelman, John A. Goerdt, and James E. McMillan, Caseflow Management: The Heart of Court Management in the New Millennium (Williamsburg, VA: National Center for State Courts, 2004), p. 41.
