Nearly $20,000 in unaffordable court debt waived through our 415 Day campaign

Since 1999, the number of criminal court fees has increased from 4 to 45 and the base cost for use of court has increased from $61 to $176. Many of these fees are unaffordable for many North Carolinians and lead to financial hardship as well as Driver’s License suspension, extended community supervision, and sometimes incarceration.

The ‘415 Day’ Campaign is intended to raise awareness of the AOC-CR-415 debt relief form in North Carolina and the importance of ability to pay assessments in court proceedings.

First launched on April 15, 2025, Advocates aim to file more than 415 of these motions on behalf of indigent community members across the state of North Carolina through community outreach efforts, assisting with completing the form, court filings, and hearing representation.

In the first year of the program, we have assisted in getting $19,781 worth of unaffordable court debt waived!

Hear from a community member who participated in the program about the ways it restored stability, opportunities, dignity and the ability to move forward.

If you owe criminal court fees and fines that you cannot afford and would like assistance filing a 415 form to ask the court to waive your fees, contact the North Carolina Fines and Fees Association here.