Merrick v. Jennings

Opinion by

Mr. Justice Roberts,

Appellant John R. Merrick, a resident and assistant públie defender of Chester County, filed a complaint in equity “on behalf of present and future indigent defendants” seeking to enjoin the county sheriff and warden from applying and enforcing three Pennsylvania statutes which permit imprisonment for nonpayment of fines. * Appellant alleged that application of these statutes to indigents would violate the United States Supreme Court’s holding in Tate v. Short, 401 U.S. 395, 398, 91 S. Ct. 668, 671 (1971), that: “ ‘[Tjhe Constitution prohibits the State from…