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So debtors prison with a bit of leeway for those determined by the court to be unable to pay the debt. Which means if the court rules wrongly (which does happe

So debtors prison with a bit of leeway for those determined by the court to be unable to pay the debt. Which means if the court rules wrongly (which does happen), you can end up with being imprisoned for debt. Also, I realize in this case he was just arrested and not imprisoned. I wasn't speaking to just this exact case.

maxerickson 11y ago
end up with being imprisoned for debt. The arrest wasn't for debt either, it was for ignoring a court order. I guess if you don't think there should be any legal mechanism to address non payment of debts then courts shouldn't be involved, but refusing or otherwise failing to participate in the legal process is not the same thing as just failing to pay a debt.
- deleted 11y ago
  [deleted]
- Lawtonfogle 11y ago
  >The arrest The, as in specifying a specific arrest. As I said, I'm talking in general, not in this particular case.
  - maxerickson 11y ago
    Right, that doesn't seem to happen. People are getting dragged to court because they have failed to answer a court order, but they aren't getting dragged to court and then tossed in jail because they stopped paying their credit card or mortgage. Which hey, those are some pretty shitty situations, but why aren't they appearing in court when ordered?
    - Lawtonfogle 11y ago
      >Right, that doesn't seem to happen. So people aren't put in jail for failing to follow court orders that require them to pay money? That goes against the numerous news reports I've read of that happening. Now, some portion of those jailed may have the means to pay and choose not to. I would guess a large portion falls into that group. But I am highly doubtful that it is 100%.
      - adventured 11y ago
        No, people are defaulting on student loans in record numbers presently, as the huge cost inflation wave of the last 10-15 years is overwhelming the debtors. They aren't being put in jail for non-payment. We'd have a million more people in jail right now if that were the case. Ignore a court order? Well that will get you arrested eventually.
    - Lawtonfogle 11y ago
      (I would edit my other post but it is now too old). >Which hey, those are some pretty shitty situations, but why aren't they appearing in court when ordered? Based on another post I made, it appears that it can happen because they aren't notified because the official process to notify them only goes so far and if they have an old address or some incorrect information, you may never receive the summons.
      - maxerickson 11y ago
        Yeah, I don't want to defend the system and would not use such categorical language in describing it again. This comment mentions houses surviving bankruptcy in Florida: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11110139 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11110139 (I think some exception is reasonable, but not a huge one) And then on the other side of it people are being kept from working because they owe petty fines. It's obviously not just.

maxerickson 11y ago

end up with being imprisoned for debt. The arrest wasn't for debt either, it was for ignoring a court order. I guess if you don't think there should be any legal mechanism to address non payment of debts then courts shouldn't be involved, but refusing or otherwise failing to participate in the legal process is not the same thing as just failing to pay a debt.

deleted 11y ago
[deleted]
Lawtonfogle 11y ago
>The arrest The, as in specifying a specific arrest. As I said, I'm talking in general, not in this particular case.
- maxerickson 11y ago
  Right, that doesn't seem to happen. People are getting dragged to court because they have failed to answer a court order, but they aren't getting dragged to court and then tossed in jail because they stopped paying their credit card or mortgage. Which hey, those are some pretty shitty situations, but why aren't they appearing in court when ordered?
  - Lawtonfogle 11y ago
    >Right, that doesn't seem to happen. So people aren't put in jail for failing to follow court orders that require them to pay money? That goes against the numerous news reports I've read of that happening. Now, some portion of those jailed may have the means to pay and choose not to. I would guess a large portion falls into that group. But I am highly doubtful that it is 100%.
    - adventured 11y ago
      No, people are defaulting on student loans in record numbers presently, as the huge cost inflation wave of the last 10-15 years is overwhelming the debtors. They aren't being put in jail for non-payment. We'd have a million more people in jail right now if that were the case. Ignore a court order? Well that will get you arrested eventually.
  - Lawtonfogle 11y ago
    (I would edit my other post but it is now too old). >Which hey, those are some pretty shitty situations, but why aren't they appearing in court when ordered? Based on another post I made, it appears that it can happen because they aren't notified because the official process to notify them only goes so far and if they have an old address or some incorrect information, you may never receive the summons.
    - maxerickson 11y ago
      Yeah, I don't want to defend the system and would not use such categorical language in describing it again. This comment mentions houses surviving bankruptcy in Florida: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11110139 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11110139 (I think some exception is reasonable, but not a huge one) And then on the other side of it people are being kept from working because they owe petty fines. It's obviously not just.