Providence municipal judge declines fines for defendant in treatment, citing risk to recovery

An unidentified judge presiding in the Municipal Court of Providence declined to impose fines on an unnamed defendant who said they are living at the Galilee Mission, a treatment facility, and have been there about 67 days.

The judge opened the exchange with a remark about resilience — “So so you got knocked down. So it's not a sin to get knocked down. It's a sin not to get back up” — then said the defendant appeared to be trying to 'get back up.' The judge said levying fines — which the judge estimated were "probably, you know, over a couple of thousand dollars" — would “serve no useful purpose,” would be impossible for the defendant to pay and “may go back to your addiction.”

The defendant told the court, “Right now, your honor, I'm living, at the Galilee Mission, which is a treatment facility because I had a struggle with addiction,” and said they had been in the program about 67 days and were working to "straighten out" their life.

Explaining the decision, the judge said people recovering from addiction cannot typically endure a great deal of stress and that adding a heavy fine could be counterproductive. The judge also described the cases as “stale,” and said imposing a fine now would likely accomplish little.

The defendant said they could not recall the last time they had "got a break," called the court's decision “big,” and said they would take steps to resolve other court matters and to pursue their license. The exchange ended with the defendant thanking the court.

No formal fine was imposed during the exchange and the judge declined to assess the amounts discussed. The defendant indicated an intention to address related legal and licensing matters going forward.