Man arrested for paying medical bill in pennies

Penny offense: Man fined for paying fee in pennies
By Claudine Zap | The Upshot – Mon, Jun 6, 2011



No lucky pennies here: Police have charged Jason West, an aggrieved medical patient in Vernal, Utah, with disorderly conduct. His alleged crime? Attempting to pay a disputed medical bill of $25 entirely in pennies.

The story, reported in the Salt Lake City Deseret News, describes the "penny offense" this way: West, 38, did not believe he owed the medical clinic $25 but came in to pay the fee in person. He first asked the clinic staff if the facility accepted cash payments, and then dumped 2,500 pennies onto the counter and demanded that they be counted.

But West apparently hadn't counted on the clinic calling the police; the arresting officer contended that West's protest served "no legitimate purpose." The charge carries a fine that can go as high as $140--and there's no word as yet on what currency West will use to pay it.

West isn't alone in the ranks of penny protesters. A wise guy in Frederick, Maryland, showed up at the county clerk's office last summer with bags of cash to pay off his tax bill with $966.86 in change.

And a New Jersey school district a few years back punished 29 students who paid for their $2 school lunches in pennies--possibly as a prank--with two-day detentions. After parents protested, the students were pardoned. The school explained that the use of the small change slowed down the lunch line.

Bluesmama wrote:You mean, someone didn't want to bother counting $25 in pennies??? Y'know, I realize that he should have taken his pennies to the bank first, but honestly, $25, to me, does not merit jail space. I pretty much think this is bullshit.

Alan Smithee wrote:

You're right. And it doesn't, just a max fine of $140. Sure it seems ridiculous on the face of it but he was charged as a disorderly person because he just dumped 2,500 pennies on the counter and demanded they be counted. That didn't cause any disruption or inconvenience to at least the people waiting their turn behind him? Maybe if he had said "well I have the cash right here, but we need to go someplace to count it."

Bluesmama wrote:I have to admit, I've thought about doing my taxes in Roman Numerals.

Hyacinth Girl wrote:

That might make TurboTax blow up, but great idea! LOL

It reminds me of back in junior high, I had an English teacher who made us keep journals, and write out most deepest, personal thoughts in them. She'd collect them weekly, read and comment on them. The creative writing aspect of it, I could understand, but the divulging of personal info--sorry honey.

I pushed the definition of "write" and wrote my entire journal, jumping between French and Latin. . .. the teacher wasn't too pleased, and made an addendum to the assignment, that it had to be written in English. Somehow I got away with it for 1/2 the year--maybe she was waiting to see if I'd crack and switch back to English on my own. LOL

Supernova wrote:If I'd ever had to do that, I think it would be like confessing to a priest, just make shit up and see how they respond to that.

Hyacinth Girl wrote:^^Not sure about other parts of the country, but around here, coin machines are popping up in banks and grocery stores, so you don't even have to roll them anymore--just dump your load in the hopper, and the machine counts it up, gives you a ticket, and you turn that in at the service desk for dollar bills.

Hyacinth Girl wrote:^^Not sure about other parts of the country, but around here, coin machines are popping up in banks and grocery stores, so you don't even have to roll them anymore--just dump your load in the hopper, and the machine counts it up, gives you a ticket, and you turn that in at the service desk for dollar bills.

wants2laugh wrote:we had an envelope come thru the mail going to comcast that was filled with coins. On the outside it said, "This is all i F#@$ing owe you bastards". The problem was that he only attached a 44 cent first class stamp on it and it was WAY heavy... so it was returned to him