ABOUT
2022 Year-End Financial Update
In total, we distributed $296,256.37 to defendants in 2022, covering transportation and lodging costs, funds for legal organizing, court fines and fees, and expenses for defendants' basic needs. We are proud to have been able to support water protectors in all of these ways, which would never have been possible without your financial contributions.
We fundraised $208,619.37 in 2022, and our fund balance at the end of 2022 was $73,915.37. As cases come to a close, we will keep you updated on the status of our fund, and our plans with any remaining money in our account.
WHAT WE DO
We provide funds to assist arrestees with financial support for their legal cases. This currently includes expenses for arrestees surrounding their court process, including but not limited to: transportation, housing, fines and fees, and organizing costs. Apply for funds here.
Your attorney can apply for funding for their legal fees AND expenses for your case via the Center for Protest Law and Litigation’s Line 3 fund. They can apply here. (Password is Protest!)
If you have the capacity or ability to pay for your own fees or fundraise for your own case, we strongly encourage it.
In 2021, provided financial support to a collective of comrades providing jail support to those taking action on the ground.
We review requests on a case by case basis and cannot guarantee that all requests will be fulfilled. Generally, any request under $1,000 will be fulfilled, and we will do more direct follow up for larger requests.
WHAT WE DON'T DO
We do not consistently provide bail. We have in the past paid for bail in the movement, and have provided lump sums of bail funds to movement comrades consistently providing jail support for actions. We will not provide bail money to those who reach out with individual requests.
We do not provide attorneys with their legal fees for taking on a case. Attorneys should apply to the Center for Protest Law and Litigation for support. They can apply here. (Password is Protest!)
We do not provide jail support. Whenever possible, this role should be assigned ahead of time between trusted comrades who will be in the vicinity of a direct action. To learn more about how to legally prepare for an action, check out Pipeline Legal Action Network’s Pre Action Workbook.
We do not provide legal advice or representation. Any legal decisions should be made in the confidence of an attorney and friends/family.
We do not fundraise for individual cases. Our fund is available to the entire movement, and our obligation is ensuring that there is as much money available for as many people as possible for emergencies and other eventualities. In the event that the costs associated with an individual’s case exceed our funding capacity, separate fundraising should be arranged to directly support that case, that we are happy to help boost.
Logo designed by Mel Tillery