American fines

[Mr-White]

How do Americans pay for these stupidly high fines ?

For example, I'm not debating his guilt or innocents just the amount of the fine.

MW

 

[d_brennen]

This commenter on the story put it best

I could go into a chain store, shoplift 30 CD's, get caught, and after restitution, cost costs, and any other associated fines and fees, be 99% better off than that. $67,500 is absurd. $675,000 is a complete joke and a waste of the Judicial System's time. You could put a $10,000,000,000 judgement against him. What difference would it make?

 

[Strife212]

Declare yourself bankrupt

 

[Skillmister]

The court confirmed $22,500 per song and left 28-year old Boston university student Joel Tenenbaum with a $675,000 verdict for a total of 30 songs

Wow. So by that logic i would be fined somewhere around $85 million. Cool beans.

 

[kwerk]

The government can order that your wages be garnished, which means your employer has to holdback an amount of your wages and use it to pay the fine.

 

[d_brennen]

Wow. So by that logic i would be fined somewhere around $85 million. Cool beans.

You sir are a hardened criminal who shows no remorse for your crimes and no inclination to change your deviant ways. I hereby sentence you to 1853 life sentences, to be served consecutively.

 

[Mr-White]

Declare yourself bankrupt

I thought that but apparently you can't get rid of these fines like that.

The government can order that your wages be garnished, which means your employer has to holdback an amount of your wages and use it to pay the fine.

If he retires at 65 he'll have to pay $1520 a month after tax till he dies.

MW

 

[Skillmister]

You sir are a hardened criminal who shows no remorse for your crimes and no inclination to change your deviant ways. I hereby sentence you to 1853 life sentences, to be served consecutively.

Should be out in about 4 years on good behaviour then

 

[Tephnos]

Declare yourself bankrupt

As far as I am aware, that doesn't work when it's an award through court.

Kids life is ruined.

RIAA are bloody scum.

 

[Raymond Lin]

It's not so much as "fine" The US has punitive damages, (we don) it is a punishment in economics.

 

[arknor]

you wouldnt steal a car!
trololol

 

[Mr-White]

you wouldnt steal a car!
trololol

That's not what this threads about. His crime could be anything that was just an example.

What happens if he just doesn't work and pays nothing back ?

MW

 

[Vonhelmet]

That's not what this threads about. His crime could be anything that was just an example.

What happens if he just doesn't work and pays nothing back ?

MW

He probably has to declare himself bankrupt, which is not a great thing.

 

[EdGey]

Ridiculous fine...

Ruin someones life for the sake of a few songs. Stupidity.

 

[D83]

LOL Americans.

(Better go hide the 5TB of films I d/l then)

 

[Tute]

It's the typical RIAA "grease a few palms to make an example of someone".

I mean why should they care about ruining someone's life as long as they can afford their 6th house?

 

[Energize]

The courts are so corrupt.

 

[Aod]

by their metric i'd have to pay more than $160,000,000 in fines.

what outrageous twaddle that they value one illegally downloaded song at $22,500. how can they possibly justify that?

 

[Tonyator]

Hmm.. don't think I'd manage to pay off a $240 million dollar fine...

by their metric i'd have to pay more than $160,000,000 in fines.

what outrageous twaddle that they value one illegally downloaded song at $22,500. how can they possibly justify that?

My thought exactly where the hell do they get the value of that per song from?

 

[Larkspeed]

22,500 per song is a stupid amount.

I just looked at my MP3 drive and did the maths, using that number I would have to pay:

$175,792,500