Willoughby Hills Fines & Fees Letter

Drivers in Willoughby Hills, Ohio are being forced to pay a fee just to challenge traffic camera tickets issued by the city. Under the current system, anyone wishing to appeal a traffic violation caught on camera must first pay a $25 filing fee—effectively putting justice behind a paywall and making it harder for innocent drivers to defend themselves in court.

This so-called enforcement system violates both the Ohio and U.S. Constitutions. Both guarantee Americans a right to due process and a fair hearing before someone can be deprived of their property, which in this case would be their money. Yet in Willoughby Hills, a person must pay before their appeal is even considered, undermining their rights and profit over justice.

The city’s actions are not just legally dubious—they mirror unconstitutional practices already employed elsewhere in Ohio. In 2023, the Institute for Justice (IJ) successfully challenged a similar fee system in Peninsula, Ohio. Peninsula and Stow County Municipal Court eventually relented to IJ’s pressure and discontinued their program. That victory led IJ to learn of Willoughby Hills’ equally troubling pay-to-contest scheme.

That’s why IJ a letter calling on Willoughby Hills to end its unconstitutional practice. Forcing residents to pay a fee to exercise their rights is blatantly unconstitutional.