WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court says Colorado’s practice of not automatically refunding court fees and other costs to people convicted of crimes but later exonerated violates the Constitution.
The justices on Wednesday ruled 7-1 in favor of two people whose convictions for sexual offenses were later thrown out. One paid about $700 in court fees, including victim restitution, while the other paid more than $4,400 in similar costs.
Colorado law had required people cleared of wrongdoing to recover their costs in a separate civil lawsuit. But they could not get a refund unless they proved their innocence by clear and convincing evidence.
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said those hurdles violated the due process rights of criminal defendants.
Colorado appeared to be the only state that didn’t automatically refund such fees.
