Government imposes fines as punishment for everything from traffic and municipal code violations to felonies, and imposes fees on top of the fines as a means of financing such core functions as law enforcement, the court system, and other government operations. Routinely ordered without regard to people's ability to pay, the fines and fees can add up to thousands of dollars. People able to pay can quickly close the case and move on with their lives. People unable to pay, however, may face a wide range of ongoing harms, including more fees, civil judgments, driver’s license suspensions, revocation of voting rights, and even incarceration. It shouldn’t be this way.