2007-11-25 05:14:23 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
There are no debtors' prisons in America. It's not that they were abolished "decades ago" as one other poster stated, it's that they have NEVER existed in this country. Ever.
The only unpaid debts that can result in prison time is for taxes and even then only if criminal tax evasion or criminal tax fraud were involved. The other debt that can attract jail time is child support, but only if the parent has the means to pay and refuses the court's order to do so. That actually ties in with the next paragraph.
Now, all of that said, if you have the ability to pay a debt and refuse an order of the court to pay the debt you CAN be found in Contempt of Court and be jailed indefinitely for that. This is an exceedingly rare occurence and would only happen if the debtor clearly had the financial means to pay the debt and then deliberately ignored the order of the court to do so. When you're cited for Contempt of Court, your jail term is indefinite until you comply with the order of the court.
2007-11-25 05:34:17 · answer #1 · answered by Bostonian In MO 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The people you owe can take you to court and sue you for financial damages but you don't go to jail for owing someone money. That is unless you owe them through fraud, theft or the IRS gets you for tax evasion.
2007-11-25 05:19:46 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
If you're talking 20k in theft of services (hot check, that kind of thing) this is a felony, and you'd better call a lawyer. If you just owe an institution, you probably won't, but they can sue you, garnish your wages, yadda yadda.
2007-11-25 05:31:52 · answer #3 · answered by Freethinker 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Drew where are you from?
In America you can not go to jail for debt.
This is one of the things that made people flee Europe to America.
2007-11-25 05:35:23 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Probably 5-10 years. Then after that, community service. If the person refuses to do the community service, they'll be sent back to prision for say.. another couple years? At the least.
2007-11-25 05:19:34 · answer #5 · answered by drew_n_ater 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
debtor's prisons were abolished in America decades ago -- prison is for criminals, not folk who owe.
mind that lying on an application for a loan is a crime -- it is called fraud.
2007-11-25 05:18:25 · answer #6 · answered by Spock (rhp) 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋