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xchrom

(108,903 posts) Tue Feb 26, 2013, 08:13 AM Feb 2013

1 Day Late on Rent Can Land You in Jail? A Shockingly Draconian Renters Law (Hard Times USA) [View all]

http://www.alternet.org/hard-times-usa/1-day-late-rent-can-land-you-jail-shockingly-draconian-renters-law-hard-times-usa

One evening this past August, Angela and Steve received a knock on the door. The couple opened it to see two police officers standing outside.

“One of them said, ‘We have a warrant for y’all’s arrest. … The next thing I remember is my husband dragging me from the kitchen. I had fainted,” Angela recalled, according to Human Rights Watch.

Their crime? The couple was unable to afford their $585 rent payment that month.

Two weeks after their rent was due, Steve approached their landlord with half of the money for the rent, but she wouldn’t take it.

35 replies

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1 Day Late on Rent Can Land You in Jail? A Shockingly Draconian Renters Law (Hard Times USA) [View all] xchrom Feb 2013 OP

USA, Inc. Money 1st, people last. n/t RKP5637 Feb 2013 #1

I couldn't tell pipoman Feb 2013 #2

Here is the law in Arkansas: Art_from_Ark Feb 2013 #8

Yeah, the "failure to vacate" pipoman Feb 2013 #11

Here is the law in, for example, Kansas Art_from_Ark Feb 2013 #33

Hmm pipoman Feb 2013 #34

Seven years is a long time in politics Art_from_Ark Feb 2013 #35

although the law is indeed draconian , the head line is very misleading bowens43 Feb 2013 #3

100 people were actually charged with a crime. Marrah_G Feb 2013 #5

But the charge is not non-payment of rent--it's failure to vacate. And sloppy legal reporting of msanthrope Feb 2013 #7

This is the problem of relying on Alternet for legal news. It's a great report by HRW, badly msanthrope Feb 2013 #6

Arkansas seems to be an endless well of bad laws aimed at the poor and women cali Feb 2013 #4

Feudalism. ck4829 Feb 2013 #9

So, one day late on rent *can't* land you in jail Recursion Feb 2013 #10

i like people less and less as time passes.. frylock Feb 2013 #18

How many days should non-paying tenants stay free? What should happen if they don't leave? dmallind Feb 2013 #12

criminal penalties are akin to debtors' prison Jersey Devil Feb 2013 #13

Thank you woo me with science Feb 2013 #17

Every state, including pipoman Feb 2013 #16

certainly more than 10 days.. frylock Feb 2013 #19

does anybody even go to journalism school anymore? snooper2 Feb 2013 #14

Apparently not slackmaster Feb 2013 #31

Highly inaccurate headline. nt. NCTraveler Feb 2013 #15

okay. 11 days late on rent can land you in jail. frylock Feb 2013 #20

Wrong. Failure to vacate the premises after being notified gets you in trouble. Ikonoklast Feb 2013 #21

so you think it's reasonable to give someone 10 days to vacate the prem? frylock Feb 2013 #22

Still not accurate. NCTraveler Feb 2013 #27

yes, we can agree on that.. frylock Feb 2013 #28

look at the replies and hold your heads high with pride DU. frylock Feb 2013 #23

This headline is a lie. Peter cotton Feb 2013 #24

so you too are pro-living in car? frylock Feb 2013 #25

That's a separate question entirely, is it not? Peter cotton Feb 2013 #29

evidently all anyone wants to talk about is the headline.. frylock Feb 2013 #30

as bad as the law is the title isn't right dsc Feb 2013 #26

A person who fails to vacate a rental after due process for a delinquency can be arrested anywhere slackmaster Feb 2013 #32