Fines & Fees Justice

Improving economic resilience by reducing avoidable license suspensions in Miami-Dade County.

All design & materials on this project are owned by Ker-twang.

Background

 

In 2020, 630,000 Miami-Dade residents had suspended licenses —94% due to unpaid fines or missed court dates, not dangerous driving.

This disproportionately impacted low-income residents, limiting access to jobs, housing, and financial stability.

A lack of coordination between courts, the DMV, law enforcement, and advocacy groups further complicated efforts to create equitable solutions.

Design Process

To address these systemic issues, we used a participatory design approach, co-designing with impacted residents, aligning agencies through multi-stakeholder workshops, and used behavior design research to uncover barriers and drive equitable, data-informed solutions.

    • Conducted qualitative interviews with residents who had suspended licenses to understand barriers to reinstatement.

    • Led workshops with government agencies, legal experts, and community advocates to map pain points in the system.

    • Examined policy landscapes and financial data to assess economic impact.

    • Co-designed a Driver’s License Suspension Task Force, bringing together the Clerk of Courts, FLHSMV, traffic judges, legal aid groups, and state legislators.

    • Developed alternative solutions to license suspension, including payment plan options, fee forgiveness programs, and streamlined court navigation tools.

    • Piloted a text-message notification system to remind residents of deadlines and alternative compliance options.

    • Designed a clearer, more accessible guide to help residents understand their options for license reinstatement.

My contribution

I co-led service design, research, and facilitation, ensuring that our approach was participatory and trauma-informed. My core team was made up of myself and two other designers. Stakeholders included:

  • Policy experts & legal advocates (to assess regulatory constraints)

  • Community organizers (to ensure resident perspectives were centered)

  • Government agency representatives (to secure buy-in and feasibility)

Design deliverables that furthered the work included:

  • Journey maps of residents navigating license reinstatement

  • Service blueprint outlining touch points that presented barriers for residents across the multiple agencies they had to interact with

  • Mockups of simplified reinstatement guides, citation notices, payment portals, court navigation documents and more

Policy Changes Implemented

As a result of our efforts, several key policy reforms were implemented to make the system more equitable:

  • Reinstating Eligible Drivers: Efforts were made to clear the backlog of non-dangerous drivers eligible for license

  • reinstatement through outreach and assistance programs.

  • Establishing a Driver’s License Compliance Court: A specialized court was created to handle cases of license

  • suspensions due to unpaid fines, streamlining resolution.

  • Reducing Arrests for Driving with a Suspended License: Policies were adjusted to decrease arrests related to license suspensions stemming from failure to pay, focusing on non-dangerous drivers.

  • Developing Contactless Compliance Tools: Online and remote tools were introduced, allowing residents to address fines and compliance issues without in-person visits.

  • Improving Communication and Customer Experience: Enhancements were made to ensure residents receive clear information about their license status and steps needed for reinstatement.

  • Simplifying the Payment Process: The payment system was restructured to be more user-friendly, including options for payment plans to accommodate various financial situations.

  • Establishing Tracking and Oversight: The Mayor’s Office was tasked with overseeing the implementation of these reforms, ensuring accountability and progress tracking.

Project Outcomes

  • The creation of an official Task Force, which led to policy changes reducing unnecessary suspensions.

  • Increased access to payment plans and alternative compliance options.

  • A redesigned notification system, reducing missed court appearances.

Learnings

  • This project highlighted the power of cross-agency collaboration and the need to balance competing priorities while keeping residents' needs central.

  • Engaging people directly impacted by fines and fees ensured solutions were practical, while embedding judges, commissioners, and agency leaders early turned them into champions of the work, driving stronger adoption.

  • Navigating political dynamics required strategic communication—framing critiques as opportunities for improvement to motivate, not alienate, decision-makers.

User Research

  • We mixed human stories with data to build momentum for implementing solutions.

  • We conducted in-depth research to understand the common and consequential non-driving related barriers to keeping and maintaining a license.

  • We engaged directly-impacted community members in design.

Hear Stories

Designing Scalable Solutions, Final Task Force Recommendations

  • One-Stop Shop

    Create a Driver’s License Compliance Court to help residents quickly resolve all of their non-highway safety related license suspensions.

  • Contact-less Compliance Tools

    Mobile-first Compliance Court Website that allows people to easily submit proof of compliance, see a complete list of what they owe, obtain clear instructions on steps to reinstatement, and enter a centralized payment plan.

  • Resident-facing Communication

    Require that all resident-facing notices and communications and customer service are clear, concise, written at a fifth-grade reading level, available in multiple languages, and accessible digitally.

  • Seamless Payment Options

    Design modern payment options that make it simple for residents to pay what they owe in order to get a license. Ensure that people are able to get one payment plan for all suspensions that prevent DL reinstatement.

Next

Effective Design for Access to Economic Aid