Illegal Jail Time Tough to Fight for Poor Ohioans

When poor Ohioans are illegally jailed for failing to pay court debts, it's often difficult for them to do anything about it, according to activists and legal experts.

So-called "debtors' prisons" have been found around Ohio, even though it's prohibited under the Ohio Constitution and a U.S. Supreme Court ruling.

But the people it affects most – poor people – are those who are least able to challenge it. And even those who can afford to fight jail time often run into a slow-moving justice system and judges who are largely immune from lawsuits.

Instead, the Ohio Supreme Court has turned to educating judges about the topic.