City mulling new position that provides legal counsel for some misdemeanor traffic offenses

By Jon Kipper

Click here for updates on this story

    MAPLEWOOD, Missouri (KMOV) — The City of Maplewood is working to break the cycle of poverty by providing an attorney in court for some traffic-related criminal offenses.

The city council is considering a proposal that would go on the April 2024 ballot that would create the position of ‘City Defense Attorney’. They’d essentially serve as a public defender for traffic-related criminal offenses such as driving under a suspended or no license, failing to own car insurance and driving an unregistered car.

“I think it’s overlooked how important a car is,” Maplewood Mayor Nikalyn Donato-Knapper said.

Mayor Donato-Knapper said in order to get to work and ensure they have a paycheck, some people are forced to drive illegally. And then, once they get ticketed and fined, it’s even harder to pay for car expenses such as insurance and licensing.

“We want to ensure people are not stuck in the cycle of poverty,” said Donato-Knapper.

Mayor Donato-Knapper said to her knowledge, no other city in the region has a position like this, making Maplewood would be the first if voters approve.

She said she got the idea when she was working as a public defender in Tennessee.

“That’s where I would be seeing folks that would come into court time after time with the same tickets, and it would be driving without a license, driving with a suspended license,” said Donato-Knapper.

It’s an idea that seems to have traction for some.

“I think everybody has the right to representation, especially if it has anything to do with legal,” said Kennedy Hoffman.

“I think it’s a great headway into progression for the rest of the country,” said Linda Berlemann.

The proposal comes from a city with a checkered past in regard to traffic tickets.

This past April, the City of Maplewood paid over $3 million for running what ArchCity Defenders called “a debtors’ prison” from 2011 to 2021. ArchCity Defenders said people were held in jail for minor citations regardless of their ability to pay.

Mayor Donato-Knapper said her proposal had nothing to do with that federal lawsuit. She just wants people to get out of poverty.

“Are we just going to write off tickets you receive? No, at least you get counsel from a licensed attorney that can tell you ‘this is the path forward.’”

This is just another example of progressive legislation from the city of Maplewood. Earlier this year, the city passed a Tenant Bill of Rights and a requirement that any new housing built into the city includes affordable housing.

The effort to help low-income people has clearly been noted by some residents.

“I hope that it continues. I think we’re experiencing a pandemic of poverty right now,” said Berlemann.

The city council still needs to vote to put this on the ballot, and voters would need to approve of it in the April primary election.

“Maplewood is a trailblazer in this regard,” said Donato-Knapper. “We are setting the blueprint for the St. Louis region.”

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.