Class Action Lawsuit Challenges Chicago’s Impound Racket
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- Опубликовано: 13 сен 2024
- Each year Chicago impounds tens of thousands of cars, imposing harsh penalties and rapidly accruing towing and storage fees on their owners. It is nearly impossible for many Chicagoans to come up with enough money to get their cars back. The system traps even innocent owners in its bureaucratic maze. But a class action lawsuit announced today by the Institute for Justice (IJ), a national civil liberties law firm, and three car owners, seeks to bring an end to Chicago’s unconstitutional impound scheme.
The lawsuit challenges two aspects of the city’s impound scheme: that it subjects innocent owners to fines for crimes they did not commit and that the city holds cars as ransom until their owners pay all fines and fees. Imposing any fine on someone who did nothing wrong is an excessive fine and violates due process, in violation of the Illinois and United States constitutions. And holding a car for no other reason than to force payment is an unconstitutional seizure.
“No person should be forced to pay for someone else’s offense,” said IJ attorney Diana Simpson. “Chicago imposes harsh penalties on owners of impounded vehicles, even if they did not know that someone used their car to break the law. Moreover, Chicago holds all impounded cars as ransom, sometimes for long periods of time, until an owner pays all fines and fees. This unjust process violates both the Illinois Constitution and the United States Constitution.”
The city impounds cars for myriad reasons, including being driven by a person with a suspended license, playing audio that can be heard more than 75 feet away, or littering. As too many Chicagoans know first-hand, getting a car back from the impound is a lengthy and expensive process. In 2017 alone, more than 22,000 cars were impounded under the program being challenged in the new suit. Fines and fees associated with such impounds added to more than $28 million in 2017. What some may not realize, however, is that the city subjects the innocent, as well as the guilty, to this burdensome process.
ij.org/press-r...
One of the more outrageous things I have ever heard of.
This goes on all the time in Chicago. The towing and impound business in Chicago is a racket, and the police are part of it. They particularly prey on those who cannot afford the excessive fines and punishments that the city issues, so the city can then "legally" confiscate their possessions, figuring these people can't afford an attorney to fight the rampant corruption in place. It will continue as long as the citizens of the city elect corrupt Democratic mayors!
The Institute for Justice are heroes
Cannot be stated any better than that.
This is messed up on a multitude of levels.
under CIVIL TORT LAW once the repair shop takes POSSESSION of the car, it becomes their LIABILITY for any damages that incur as a result of actions or negligence - in this incident i would sue the repair shop - the most important piece of paper is the SERVICE ORDER which would show receipt of the car day time repair order - work to be done and a parts order....
since the MECHANIC was driving the car when it was CONFISCATED by the city - but rhe city never filed a CONFISCATION CHARGE against the OWNER rather they used the TOW company as a legal end run around LAW since the OWNER had no illegal usage of the car - and it should have been released to the owner and the REPAIR SHOP charged with the tow fees.
the case is a result of BOTH the city and the repair shop not being held accountable.
obviously under TORT LAW in civil court the repair shop should be on the hook for the replacement value of the car IN RUNNING ORDER.
I am a LEGAL CASE RESEARCHER based in California - our law firm operates in SD ND IA NB AZ TX CA NV FL NY MA the owner is a U of CHICAGO law school grad listed in whos who of american women.
Of course you have a good point, the car owners did not get the car impounded, the other guy driving it did.
While you're correct, it is a moot point when the city has your vehicle, demands fines you can't afford, and figures you can't hire a lawyer too. This is why Chicago has paid MILLIONS in lawsuits they've lost because of police shootings, police overstepping their authority and excessive police force. The current mayor, Lightfoot, is clueless and actually blamed Chicago's gun violence on Trump, rather than on the revolving door judicial system in the city! The Chicago problems were there decades before President Trump.
Theft.
Once upon a time, horse thieves were lynched.
Thank you for taking this case!!!
Institue for Justice does amazing work. I'm off to their site to see about donating to their cause because these people might need some financial support to keep up the fight.
Two thumbs down. Who the hell thumbs down calling out the government stealing someone's car?
Communists.
cops and government GOONS
Who the hell thumbs down calling out the government stealing someone's car? Employees of the City of Chicago, home of the corruption! Or those who are simply ignorant or are in on this scam.
I can't imagine living in Chicago. I won't even visit Chicago. Then again, given the nature of government, we'll all be subjects of a Chicago-styled government soon. :-(
Go get 'em, IJ! Love you guys!
This is insane
Someone powerful needs to stop these rackets.
SORRY, TIME FOR BULLETS, AS TALKING CURED NOTHING SO FAR!
What decent human being would think this is acceptable. ?
Go get em' IJ. You do good work!
Look at all the cops and government officials in Detroit that have been arrested, resigned and/or investigated for practices surrounding their impound policies. One of the worse was they would recover stolen cars and report them as abandoned. They would then quietly bring them to auction and have friends and family buy them at greatly reduced prices...
The city of Chicago is a racket
This is OBSCENE and down right, EVIL! Thanks, Institute for Justice, for helping these innocent folks!!!
That's Illinois for ya
CROOKED, CROOKED, CROOKED!!! Makes me sick, & my blood pressure goes dangerously up just seeing these innocent people taken advantage of, kicked when they're down, ILLEGALLY!! But then, they only enforce the laws that benefit THEM, they don't hardly ever enforce the laws that protect US from THEM!!
Legally Chicago should have charged the mechanic/body shop as they were legally in charge of the vehicle at the time of the incident the companies insurance should be covering this so why they left it at that i don't know, both body shop and police failed in their duties to inform the car OWNER of what had transpired, by scrapping the car whilst informing the owners they would hold it for them they have legally broken any sort of legal contract with regards to returning the car when the fines were paid off, Chicago now legally own her a new car or value of the car at them time of disposal. This is really not arguable in court, they have technically chased after the wrong person for fines and illegally disposed of the car without properly confirming basics.
I took a picture of Chicago skyline in my rearview mirror in 1996. I still have that work of art.
Lord have mercy, my blood pressure is threw the roof on this one.
IJ, you all better win this one for the common man .
THE PEOPLE OWN THE ROADS, THEY ARE OUR PROPERTY, NOT THE FICTIONAL 'STATE' WHICH IS A CREATION, AND DOES NOT EXIST.
WE HAVE THE RIGHT OF FREE TRAVEL.
THEFT OF PROPERTY IS THEFT, NO MATTER WHO COMMITS THE ACT.
Always suing the wrong people. Go after the shop, have it closed. Go after the person who drove the car, have him pay. Then go after the city and impound.
This is literally happening to me today
So the King and his men routinely rob the peasants of their possessions. I thought that died off in the Medieval period.
ONCE THE PEASANTS TIRE OF THE TYRANNY BY THE BOY KING, AND BEGIN HANGGING THESE TERRORISTS, THIS WILL NEVER STOP.
ALLOWING THIS EXTORTION TO CONTINUE, IS YOUR FAULT.
STOPPING IT, IS YOUR RIGHT!
How outrageous. And wrong.
hope you win.
You didn't say whether or not they paid the fine! Also this is clearly the mechanic's fault.
Take 'em to the cleaners!
Why did that workshop even have an unlicensed staffer touching a customers car?
Like NYC, Chicago has learned well from the mafia at the expense of the average citizen.
Good luck.
I always wondered how they got away with keeping your car until you pay cash to get it back. I asked why not take a credit card or give me a bill, they said because people won't pay it or they cancel the payment. Well too fucking bad, take me to court.
Any Update? Did They Win?
The case is open and ongoing: ij.org/case/chicago-impound/
The garage/mechanic should have paid the fees. If we have ALL the facts.
Stole your humans rights? It had nothing to do with your human rights.
What you need is new leadership, and adjusting of your local laws. The mechanic had the wrong person test driving your car. They should be liable in part. 🤔🇺🇸
Why isn't the repair shop being held liable? Or the employer driving other peoples' cars around with a suspended license? Oh, I know, because the city's pockets are deeper.
They will win
This is how big cities can function. Impounds, tickets, fines
If half our tax dollars weren't going toward defense spending and welfare local governments could have more legit tax revenue
Didn’t Know where her Car was FOR THREE WEEKS.
I know where My Car is every single Day.
She assumed it was at the body shop, being repaired, as she PAID THEM TO DO. Do you stalk the shops you pay to fix YOUR vehicles? Watch the video - you can see for yourself.
@@simplywonderful449 i Set an Electronic Fence Line around wherever My Vehicles are located and whenever one of them crosses a Fence Line I get an Electronic Notification.
It would have been fair to charge the driver with fees, but to go after the owner? Now I wonder if that is how they deal with car thieves: steal the car from the thief and extort the owners for its return only to sell it for scrap anyway.
Anybody used the 2nd A yet? The deers are fed up having to be 2nd A exercised on.
ONCE WE WAKE UP, THESE TYRANTS WILL BE SHOT DEAD SOON!
ENOUGH BOWING TO OUR OWN USELESS EMPLOYEES!
BEGIN CHOPPING OFF THEIR HEADS!
SEND A WARNING THEY CAN NOT IGNORE!
NOTHING SAYS FUCK YOU, LIKE A TERRORIST COP OR OFFICIAL SWINGING FROM HIS NECK IN A TIWN SQUARE TREE!
THE BLOOD IF TYRANTS MUST BE SPILLED FOR FREEDOM TO BE FELT ACROSS THE NATION!
I hope they win.
Terrible
I don't always agree with you, but you're doing the right thing here!
Lorie Lightfoot for you
Thieves should be Punished!!!
Duck chiraq
I think they were right
look lady we don't care. just vote Democrat 2020
@Gabby Mouse uh well yes
Could the single dislike a racist by any chance?
More likely a corrupt Chicago politician