Judge: State can't revoke licenses for unpaid tickets

NASHVILLE -- Tennessee can no longer revoke people's driver licenses because they cannot afford to pay traffic tickets.

A federal judge this week ruled the state must stop suspending, or permitting the suspension, of any driver's license for failure to pay fines, costs, or litigation taxes related to traffic violations, without first determining whether the defendant has the ability to pay.

The new order, issued by U.S. District Judge Aleta Trauger, comes in a September 2017 class-action suit challenging a state law that allowed officials to revoke someone's license if they didn't pay a fine for a traffic violation.

The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security released the following statement regarding the judge's order:

"The Department of Safety and Homeland Security has received the order. It will stop suspensions of licenses, as the Court requires, and it will promptly review the balance of the order to determine the appropriate next steps. Please be patient as we work through this process."

Trauger granted the plaintiff's motion for a preliminary injunction that stops the state from doing so while the suit is pending. Her order also opened the door for hundreds of thousands of Tennesseans to get their licenses back if they cannot pay outstanding traffic fines.

This means nearly 300,000 people whose licenses were suspended because they could not afford to pay traffic debt can request to have their driver licenses reinstated.

The lawsuit is the second of two similar cases. The earlier one dealt with people who lost licenses because they were unable to pay fines related to criminal convictions. Trauger ruled against the state in July, and Tennessee appealed.

Plaintiffs argue the suspensions leave people unable to work, making it even harder for them to pay court debts.