Do some states really have a debtors prison?

[NotUrsula]

If you'll pardon the pun, my money is on embezzlement. Some kind of white-collar crime, for sure.

 

[DoYourHomework]

Good thing there wasn't a test. Inform and protect yourselves...YES there are debtor's prisons!


http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/...ebtors-Prison-conceptALEC-and-KOCH-Industries

"More than a third of all U.S. states allow borrowers who can't or won't pay to be jailed. Judges have signed off on more than 5,000 such warrants since the start of 2010 in nine counties with a total population of 13.6 million people, according to a tally by The Wall Street Journal of filings in those counties. "

http://my.auburnjournal.com/detail/174840.html

 

[Magic Mom]

There aren't any debtors prisons. The states would all go bankrupt if they had to imprison everyone who defaulted on debts.

 

[momof1princess]

i'm sure there may be instances where people may go to jail for bad debts, but as far as an actual prison set aside for debtors, or a "debtor's prison", no, there's not one in my state (alabama) that i'm aware of, and i worked within the legal system for many years. most states have enough problems providing adequate housing for those who commit and are convicted of actual crimes (theft, rape, murder, child molestation, etc.).

 

[lpereira]

I was just going to add that they do exist in many states. I don't know if texas is one. Theoretically this is how it works someone borrows money, racks up medical bills, or whatever. Then for whatever reason they can't pay. The company takes the person to court and obtains a judgement. If the person doesn't pay the judgement then a judge can place the person in jail until such time as the debt is paid. Sometimes upon being released from jail the person can get a bill from the prison system for their incarceration.
Sometimes the person is a victim of poor circumstances sometimes they are wilfully financially reckless. Sometimes people have ended up in jail over out of date debts bought by junk debt collectors who present the debts to the court system as current debt and file false paperwork regarding serving the person.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Here is the WSJ article itself:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704396504576204553811636610.html?KEYWORDS=priso

Considering whats going on these days I wonder where this will all lead us

 

[Disney Doll]

Whether he's been thrown in jail for having bad debt that he cannot pay or he's actually been in aplace called debtor's prison is a lot less to me than the fact that this guy is circling around in your friend's life.

This guy is her stepson? What's her husband like? Is he a nice guy?

 

[happygirl]

There are no in MO

 

[jillyb]

Here is the WSJ article itself:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704396504576204553811636610.html?KEYWORDS=priso

Considering whats going on these days I wonder where this will all lead us

This is just scary.

 

[LuvOrlando]

This is just scary.

Why is it scary? I mean to say, what part &/or potential outcome do you find distressing?

 

[crashbb]

Why is it scary? I mean to say, what part &/or potential outcome do you find distressing?

Don't know about the PP, but I find it weird (not so much "scary") that this thread was bumped after almost 2 years by someone with 10 posts.

 

[undertheradar]

Two year old thread bumped by a new poster.

 

[LuvOrlando]

The topic is sort of off the original path but the article is new and if the person did a search it would have popped up i guess. Anyway this is current now, not about my friend from the OP who is now divorced from the guy but the debtors thing is new I mean.

 

[jillyb]

Why is it scary? I mean to say, what part &/or potential outcome do you find distressing?

I find it scary that creditors are doing this, that the courts are allowing it and that there are representatives/congressmen or whoever (sorry...didn't go back and read exactly who in government is for this) are pushing for this.

Not everyone unable to pay off debt are in that position due to bad choices.

 

[Carly_Roach]

EEK!! Zombie thread!!





Better late than never I always say.

 

[Took]

I find it scary that creditors are doing this, that the courts are allowing it and that there are representatives/congressmen or whoever (sorry...didn't go back and read exactly who in government is for this) are pushing for this.

Not everyone unable to pay off debt are in that position due to bad choices.

Since we're on the topic (again), I thought I'd include this piece about dealing with a "bad debt arrest."

http://www.bankruptcylawnetwork.com...united-states-and-what-is-an-order-of-capias/

 

[IdesOmarch]

As one poster mentioned, this was most likely a polite way of saying they went to jail for not paying their child support. (which is a kind of debt) That will happen in this day. Or tax debt, ala Richard Hatch of Survivor who went back to jail for this debt.