SupCo: Homeless people can be fined for sleeping outside

Kelsey Reichmann

WASHINGTON (CN) — The Supreme Court on Friday ruled that a public sleeping ban in Grants Pass, Oregon did not unconstitutionally criminalize homelessness.

The city of Grants Pass, Oregon implemented a public camping ordinance that prohibited sleeping on sidewalks, streets or alleyways at any time, fining violators $295. Individuals who racked up multiple infractions faced bans from public parks or criminal trespassing charges that carry jail time and hefty fees.

Homeless people in Grants Pass found it impossible to comply with the law, citing the city’s lack of shelter beds. Two homeless residents, Gloria Johnson and John Logan, filed a class action against the city.

Johnson and Logan claimed Grants Pass’s ordinances criminalized involuntary homelessness in violation of the Eighth Amendment’s cruel and unusual punishment clause. They relied on the Supreme Court’s 1962 ruling in Robinson v. California, which held criminalizing the status of being a drug addict was unconstitutional.

Johnson and Logan claimed Robinson extended to homelessness, and two lower courts agreed. Although the Supreme Court hadn’t previously ruled on the issue, the Ninth Circuit issued its own precedent in Martin v. Boise that found fines and jail stints for public sleeping unconstitutional.

The justices were skeptical of Martin during oral arguments in April.

This is a developing story and will be updated.