Ravalli County jail diversion program bilks defendants, upends due process, plaintiffs allege

By: Keila Szpaller

Outlets: Daily Montanan

Published: March 10, 2026

Words: 1,075

Last Updated: 10 hours, 45 minutes ago

Body Text Preview

MISSOULA — A jail diversion program in Ravalli County upends important values of the justice system by forcing defendants to pay hundreds of dollars a month in fees before they’re ever found guilty, lawyers alleged Monday in federal court.

In the class action lawsuit, lawyer Phil Telfeyan of Equal Justice Under Law said one man who is disabled and whose only source of income is his Social Security check of $1,100 was billed $1,073 for …

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.

Email Us