Group Sues Bergen County, Claims Unfair Monitoring Bracelet Fee

A growing group of Bergen County residents is suing the county to change a policy it says is unfair to residents in financial trouble who need to pay child support.

According to a my9.com report, residents jailed in Bergen County for missing child support or alimony payments can be released in order to land jobs that will help them make the payments. However, the county charges them $10 a day for work release or wearing an ankle monitoring bracelet, the report said.

Ari Shocket of Hackensack, who was in and out of jail after missing his $2,000 a week child support payments, told Chasing NJ he didn’t think the $10 charge was fair. He recently filed suit saying the fee is a detriment to the reason for the release, and a violation of a law allowing the government to take 65% of wages to help pay support, the report said.

Since announcing the suit, several other plaintiffs against the county have signed on, and Shocket is hoping it will turn into a class action suit, the report said.