Wilkins Micawber is a fictional character in Charles Dickens 's 1850 novel David Copperfield . He is traditionally identified with the optimistic belief that "something will turn up."
67-462: Micawber was incarcerated in debtors' prison (the King's Bench Prison ) after failing to meet his creditors' demands. His long-suffering wife, Emma, stands by him despite his financial exigencies that force her to pawn all of her family's heirlooms . She lives by the maxims, "I will never desert Mr. Micawber!" and "Experientia does it!" (from Experientia docet , "One learns by experience.") Micawber
134-476: A Gibson PAF humbucking pickup installed in the neck position) "Micawber"; Richards is known to be a fan of Dickens. "There's no reason for my guitar being called Micawber, apart from the fact that it's such an unlikely name. There's no one around me called Micawber, so when I scream for Micawber everyone knows what I'm talking about." The character formed the basis of Micawber , a 2001 ITV drama series written by John Sullivan and starring David Jason in
201-761: A plant hire company, after which he moved into security , manufacturing and property. He bought the controlling interest in Rangers Football Club Plc from its then majority shareholder David Murray in May 2011, and subsequently put the club into administration in February 2012 and then liquidation in July 2012. Born in Motherwell , Whyte was educated at Kelvinside Academy in Glasgow . When he
268-484: A bid to buy the indebted Scottish football club. In April 2011, a £28 million deal was thought possible, but this was dependent on agreement with Lloyds Banking Group on how the club's debt would be serviced and a tax assessment of, potentially, £49 million from HM Revenue and Customs . Sir David Murray sold his controlling interest in Rangers (85.3%) to Wavetower Limited for £1 on 6 May 2011, with Rangers' debt to
335-701: A company called Re-Tex during a seven-year period when he was banned from doing so – a claim supported by Robert Burns, the Inspector of Companies at the Insolvency Service , who retired in October 2012. Prior to Re-Tex being wound up in 2003, the company made an offer to sell shares to potential shareholders at a price based on company statements that BBC alleged contained "false and misleading" information, formed from accounts signed off by fake auditors appointed by Whyte. The auditors were allegedly run by
402-515: A convicted fraudster – and former associate of Whyte's – Kevin Sykes. Whyte's ban from being a Director followed the failure of one of his companies – Vital Holdings Ltd – to produce satisfactory accounts. The investigation also alleged that Whyte had taken part in a number of additional criminal acts, including the receipt of £100,000 from the Re-Tex account, ostensibly to pay a tax bill – a payment that
469-486: A court can sentence someone to prison over willfully unpaid criminal fees , usually following the order of a judge . For example, in some jurisdictions within the United States , people can be held in contempt of court and jailed after willful non-payment of child support , garnishments, confiscations, fines, or back taxes. Additionally, though properly served civil duties over private debts in nations such as
536-595: A debtor will actually be prosecuted varies from state to state. This modern use of the term debtors' prison arguably has its start with precedent rulings in 1970, 1971 and 1983 by the U.S. Supreme Court, and passage of the Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1978 . In 1970, the Court ruled in Williams v. Illinois that extending a maximum prison term because a person is too poor to pay fines or court costs violates
603-785: A failure to pay a fine without first inquiring into a person's ability to pay and considering whether there are adequate alternatives to imprisonment. A year-long study released in 2010 of fifteen states with the highest prison populations by the Brennan Center for Justice , found that all fifteen states sampled have jurisdictions that arrest people for failing to pay debt or appear at debt-related hearings. The study identified four causes that lead to debtors' prison type arrests for debts: In an article in The American Conservative , Michael Shindler argues that another factor responsible for debtors' prison type arrests
670-449: A judge when people refuse to (appear as) witness, or don't pay off their fines or debts. The imprisonment does not cancel the due amount and interest. In England during the 18th and 19th centuries, 10,000 people were imprisoned for debt each year. A prison term did not alleviate a person's debt, however; an inmate was typically required to repay the creditor in-full before being released. In England and Wales , debtors' prisons varied in
737-410: A person's identity, but had different rules than criminal trials. It was more similar to the modern enforcement of sentences ( Strafvollzug ) e.g. the debtor would be able to work off their debt for a certain number of days, graduated by how much they owed. The North German Confederation eliminated debtors' prisons on May 29, 1868. In Dutch law gijzeling (lit.: take in as hostage) can be ordered by
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#1732798356619804-405: A rule that no definite proof is required to prove someone guilty of something but a set of proof, thus it’s only required that it’s likely someone is willfully not paying his fine rather than having to prove what exact money he does own (legally named revenues occultes ) , this can lead to someone insolvent being sentenced for being unable to pay his fine as soon as a small mismatch exists between
871-656: A settlement in an attempt to exit administration, but this was rejected by the biggest creditor, HMRC , on 14 June 2012, ensuring liquidation. Green was then able to buy out the business and associated assets of Rangers from the Administrator. On 25 June 2012, the Crown Office asked Strathclyde Police to investigate the purchase of Rangers and the club's subsequent financial management. The ticketing firm Ticketus, which provided Whyte with funding to buy Rangers, successfully sued Whyte for damages in 2013. Whyte
938-533: A signatory to the Declaration of Independence , spent some time in a debtors' prison while still serving as an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. Fellow signatory Robert Morris spent three years, from 1798 to 1801, in the Prune Street Debtors' Prison, Philadelphia Henry Lee III, better known as Henry "Light-Horse" Lee , a Revolutionary War general and father of Robert E. Lee,
1005-639: A single cell. The father of the English author Charles Dickens was sent to one of these prisons (the Marshalsea ), which were often described in Dickens's novels. He became an advocate for debt prison reform, and his novel Little Dorrit dealt directly with this issue. The Debtors' Act 1869 ( 32 & 33 Vict. c. 62) limited the ability of the courts to sentence debtors to prison, but it did not entirely prohibit them from doing so. Debtors who had
1072-462: Is a prison for people who are unable to pay debt . Until the mid-19th century, debtors' prisons (usually similar in form to locked workhouses ) were a common way to deal with unpaid debt in Western Europe . Destitute people who were unable to pay a court-ordered judgment would be incarcerated in these prisons until they had worked off their debt via labour or secured outside funds to pay
1139-743: Is often due to ignorance." In a 2019 report by the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law argues that debtors' prisons are likely to appear in states like Arkansas where many people live in poverty and are unable to pay fines and fees, where poor record-keeping exacerbates challenges faced by defendants, and where arrest warrants and drivers license suspensions make it even harder for people to pay off court-imposed debt. In 2014, National Public Radio (NPR) reported that there were still cases of judges imprisoning people who have not paid court fees. The American Civil Liberties Union has been challenging such policies since 2009. In September, 2015, in
1206-533: Is responsible for a major financial setback to another character. The hardworking, reliable Tommy Traddles, who is saving to furnish a home for the young woman he hopes to marry, allows his optimism to overcome his common sense. He "lends his name" to Micawber by co-signing for his rent, and when Micawber fails to pay, Micawber's creditors seize all of the Micawber family's furniture and personal effects, along with those of Traddles. Although Traddles eventually recovers
1273-462: Is that "Whereas indigent defendants have a Sixth Amendment right to a court-appointed lawyer in criminal cases involving incarceration, indigent debtors in state and local courts have no one to defend them against the error and abuse that characterizes debt collection litigation." Similarly, Shindler writes, regarding explicitly illegal debtors' prison type arrests ordered by local judges,"the reason these officials engage in this sort of excessive behavior
1340-713: The Coldbath Fields Prison , Fleet Prison , Giltspur Street Compter , King's Bench Prison , Marshalsea Prison , Poultry Compter , and Wood Street Counter . The most famous was the Clink prison , which had a debtor's entrance in Stoney Street. This prison gave rise to the British slang term for being incarcerated in any prison, hence "in the clink". Its location also gave rise to the term for being financially embarrassed, "stoney broke". Imprisonment for
1407-653: The Organization of American States . Article 7 (7) of the pact affirms "no one shall be detained for debt. This principle shall not limit the orders of a competent judicial authority issued for nonfulfillment of duties of support." Currently, 24 countries from the Western Hemisphere are parties to that treaty. In 1976 Article 11 of the ICCPR – International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights – came into effect stating, "No one shall be imprisoned merely on
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#17327983566191474-679: The "willful" terminology is subject to individual mens rea determination by a judge, rather than statute, and that since this presents the potential for judges to incarcerate legitimately indigent individuals, it amounts to a de facto "debtors' prison" system. During Europe's Middle Ages , debtors, both men and women, were locked up together in a single, large cell until their families paid their debt. Debt prisoners often died of diseases contracted from others interned in debtors' prison for many years. Some debt prisoners were released to become serfs or indentured servants ( debt bondage ) until they paid off their debt in labor. Imprisonment for debt
1541-594: The Debtors (Scotland) Act 1987 (c 18), though in practice imprisonment for the non-payment of debts had ceased to be relevant in Scotland since the passing of s.4 of the Debtors (Scotland) Act 1880 (c 34). Imprisonment remains competent in cases in which a court order, or order ad factum praestandum is breached by a debtor. While imprisonment for debt was competent in Scots law, it was provided that debtors who were within
1608-519: The Lloyds Banking Group being reassigned to Wavetower. Wavetower Limited (subsequently renamed The Rangers FC Group Limited) is owned by Liberty Capital, which is Whyte's holding company. The then Rangers manager Walter Smith was reported as welcoming the takeover for the stability it would bring to the club. Whyte said he was proud to be the owner of Rangers and pledged to invest £25 million into transfers, over five years. Regarding
1675-617: The Ministry for Health. It remained in use as a prison until the nineteenth century. In line with the European Convention Act, no person is to be deprived of his liberty because of the incapability to fulfill a contractual obligation. Debtors in the United Arab Emirates , including Dubai , are imprisoned for failing to pay their debts. This is a common practice in the country. Banks are not sympathetic to
1742-582: The Port Middlebay Bank and a successful government magistrate . Prior to leaving, Micawber repays the money Traddles spent settling his loan. In Hablot Knight Browne 's illustrations for the first edition, Micawber is shown wearing knee-breeches , a top hat , and a monocle . Micawber was modelled on Dickens' father, John Dickens . Micawber is known for asserting his faith that "something will turn up." His name has become synonymous with someone who lives in hopeful expectation. This has formed
1809-712: The Protocol No. 4 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms . Article 1 of the protocol states that "no one shall be deprived of his liberty merely on the ground of inability to fulfil a contractual obligation." Currently, 42 states have ratified the protocol. In 1969 the American Convention on Human Rights , also known as the Pact of San José, was adopted by members of
1876-533: The Saxon constitution, became the catchword for public law debtors' prison. In the early modern era, the debtor's detainment or citizen's arrest remained valid in Germany. Sometimes it was used as a tool to compel payment, other times it was used to secure the arrest of an individual and ensure a trial against them in order to garnish wages, replevin or a form of trover . This practice was particularly disgraceful to
1943-487: The United States will merely result in a default judgment being rendered in absentia if the defendant willfully declines to appear by law, a substantial number of indigent debtors are legally incarcerated for the crime of failing to appear at civil debt proceedings as ordered by a judge. In this case, the crime is not indigence, but disobeying the judge's order to appear before the court. Critics argue that
2010-496: The adjectives "Micawberish" and "Micawberesque." The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a Micawber as "one who is poor but lives in optimistic expectation of better fortune." Judge David Halpern described Craig Whyte 's legal arguments in a case heard in 2013 as "pure Micawberism." Besides the Micawber Principle, Micawber is notable for a number of memorable quotations: Debtors%27 prison A debtors' prison
2077-635: The amount of freedom they allowed the debtor. With a little money, a debtor could pay for some freedoms; some prisons allowed inmates to conduct business and to receive visitors; others (including the Fleet and King's Bench Prisons ) even allowed inmates to live a short distance outside the prison – a practice known as the 'Liberty of the Rules' – and the Fleet even tolerated clandestine ' Fleet Marriages '. Life in these prisons, however,
Wilkins Micawber - Misplaced Pages Continue
2144-524: The authorities. In India, courts have been known to jail financial defaulters as a way to coerce them to pay back their private creditors, or the state. For example, in the case of Subrata Roy , his bail was conditional on him paying back large sums to the investors or the regulators. An eighteenth century debtors' prison is found within the Castellania in Valletta , Malta, now used as offices by
2211-414: The balance. The product of their labour went towards both the costs of their incarceration and their accrued debt. Increasing access and lenience throughout the history of bankruptcy law have made prison terms for unaggravated indigence obsolete over most of the world. Since the late 20th century, the term debtors' prison has also sometimes been applied by critics to criminal justice systems in which
2278-565: The basis for the Micawber Principle, based upon his observation in Chapter 12: Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen nineteen and six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds nought and six, result misery. Written in full, the expenditure amounts are nineteen pounds, nineteen shillings and sixpence (£19/19/6) and £20/0/6, the pre-decimal equivalents of £19.97 1 ⁄ 2 and £20.02 1 ⁄ 2 in modern British currency. The character
2345-576: The bounds of Holyrood Park (the whole of which was deemed a sanctuary) were exempt, and accordingly, till the abolition of imprisonment for debt, many debtors lived in lodgings within the bounds of the park. Such people were subject to the Bailie of the Park, who had power, in certain cases, to imprison them himself, in the Abbey Jail. Ιmprisonment for debts, whether to the tax office or to a private bank,
2412-419: The coercive arrest ( Pressionshaft ), and got rid of the many arbitrary sanctions that were not universal. In some areas (like Nürnberg) the debtor could sell or redistribute their debt. In most of the cities, the towers and city fortifications functioned as jails. For certain sanctions there were designated prisons, hence some towers being called debtors' prison ( Schuldturm ). The term Schuldturm , outside of
2479-473: The debtors once they are in prison, so many just choose to leave the country where they can negotiate for settlements later. The practice of fleeing UAE to avoid arrest because of debt defaults is considered a viable option to customers who are unable to meet their obligations. Many Colonial American jurisdictions established debtors' prisons using the same models used in Great Britain. James Wilson ,
2546-420: The first time, angering regressive elements of the boardroom including John Greig in the process. Whyte was determined to rid the club of "freeloaders", telling the "unsophisticated" Greig: "It's my club and I can do what I want. I can invite the guests that I want". A BBC Scotland documentary , Rangers: The Inside Story , aired in October 2011, claimed that Whyte had illegally been a de facto Director of
2613-618: The government is still unclear, as courts continue to have this ability for criminal acts. The Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 , as amended, contains provisions for criminal penalties, including imprisonment, if someone defaults on a debt or a payment obligation. Section 28A of the Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992 (As amended by the Securities Laws (Amendment) Act, 2014) contains provisions for penalties, including imprisonment, for failure to pay back investors or
2680-403: The ground of inability to fulfill a contractual obligation." These international agreements contradict the domestic laws of several ratifying states which allow for imprisonment. Craig Whyte Craig Thomas Whyte (born 18 January 1971) is a Scottish businessman best known for his controversial spell as owner of Scottish football club Rangers . Whyte first entered business in
2747-439: The imprisonment of debtors under federal law in 1833 leaving the practice of debtors' prisons to states. While the United States no longer has brick and mortar debtors' prisons, or "jails for debtors" of private debts, the term "debtor's prison" in modern times sometimes refers to the practice of imprisoning indigent criminal defendants for matters related to either a fine or a fee imposed in criminal judgments. To what extent
Wilkins Micawber - Misplaced Pages Continue
2814-488: The little round table and flower pot that symbolize his hopes for future happiness, he hampers himself financially by paying off Micawber's debt. Micawber is hired as a clerk by the scheming Uriah Heep , who assumes wrongly that Micawber's debts arise from dishonesty. But working for Heep allows Micawber to expose his boss as a forger and a cheat. To start anew, Micawber and his family emigrate to Australia with Daniel Peggotty and Little Em'ly, where Micawber becomes manager of
2881-490: The means to pay their debt, but did not do so, could still be incarcerated for up to six weeks, as could those who defaulted on debts to the court. Initially, there was a significant reduction in the number of debtors imprisoned following the passage of the 1869 Act. By 1870, the total number of debtors imprisoned decreased by almost 2,000, dropping from 9,759 in 1869 to 6,605 in 1870. However, by 1905 that number had increased to 11,427. Some of London's debtors' prisons were
2948-464: The money being spent and the money on the tax return. Its length is limited following the amount of the fine and aims to pressure the debtor to pay his fines, consequently the owed money stays owed to the State. After serving a contrainte , the debt or fine must still be paid. In the late Middle Ages, and at the beginning of the modern era, public law was codified in Germany. This served to standardize
3015-524: The non-payment of debt was competent at Scots common law, but the effect of imprisonment for such stood in marked contrast to the position in England even after the execution of the Treaty of Union in 1707. As Lord Dunedin observed in 1919, it was 'in direct contradistinction to the view of the law in England, that imprisonment was in no sense a satisfaction of the debt'; the purpose for imprisonment for debt
3082-532: The payment of the debt within this stipulated time-period, the creditor could have the debtor 'put to the horn' by a messenger-at-arms. The execution of horning would have to be registered in the General Register of Hornings in Edinburgh. On registration, a warrant for the arrest of the debtor could then be issued. The formal process of 'horning' was not formally abolished until the passing of s.89 of
3149-638: The programme aired, a spokesman stated that Whyte had instructed his lawyers to "commence immediate legal proceedings against the BBC". However, on 30 November 2011, Rangers confirmed in a statement to the PLUS stock exchange that Whyte had been banned from acting as a Director. Whyte began defamation proceedings against the BBC and Burns in February 2012. A subsequent investigation by the Scottish Football Association determined that Whyte
3216-632: The right to equal protection under the Fourteenth Amendment . During 1971 in Tate v. Short , the Court found it unconstitutional to impose a fine as a sentence and then automatically convert it into "a jail term solely because the defendant is indigent and cannot forthwith pay the fine in full." And in the 1983 ruling for Bearden v. Georgia , the Court ruled that the Fourteenth Amendment bars courts from revoking probation for
3283-414: The takeover, Whyte was quoted as saying, "Obviously I'm a massive Rangers fan and have been since I was a boy. I'm here first and foremost because I'm a Rangers supporter. I also see a great opportunity and think that Rangers can be a great worldwide brand. I believe there are many commercial activities that can be expanded on." As part of his reforms Whyte allowed women into the Rangers directors' room for
3350-485: The title leading role. In the U.S. Supreme Court opinion of Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly , 550 U.S. 544, 562 (2007), Justice Souter criticized the court for an approach to pleading that "would dispense with any showing of a reasonably founded hope that a plaintiff would be able to make a case; Mr. Micawber's optimism would be enough." The character of Wilkins Micawber has given rise to the English noun "Micawber" and
3417-637: The town of Bowdon, Georgia , a sitting municipal judge, Richard A. Diment, was surreptitiously recorded threatening defendants with jail time for traffic violations if they did not provide immediate payment. The incidents caused the Bowdon Municipal Court to be closed for a month in order to implement changes in policy. In 1963, members of the Council of Europe , an intergovernmental human rights organization based in Strasbourg , adopted
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#17327983566193484-400: The widespread practice, possibly for the first time. Increasing disfavor over debtors' prisons along with the advent and early development of U.S. bankruptcy laws led states to begin restricting imprisonment for most civil debts. At that time growing use of the poorhouse and poor farm were also seen as institutional alternatives for debtors' prisons. The United States ostensibly eliminated
3551-465: Was 15, Whyte took an interest in financial markets, and made more than £20,000 buying and selling shares before he left school. Whyte's first job was with his father's Plant Hire firm, and in 1990 he set up his own plant-hire company. The company, Whyte Hire, was not a success and went bankrupt in the early 1990s with debts of around £300,000. Whyte recovered from this loss and branched out into security, manufacturing and property. In 1997, aged 26, he
3618-522: Was Scotland's youngest millionaire. After selling off most of his businesses, he moved to Monaco . When he moved back to the UK (to London), he became a venture capitalist . The London-based group he heads, Liberty Capital, specialises in buying distressed businesses, turning them around, and selling them on. Whyte was a lifelong supporter of Rangers Football Club and held an executive box at Ibrox Stadium . Speculation arose in 2010 that he might launch
3685-591: Was also practised in Islam. Debtors who refused to pay their debts could be detained for several months in order to exert pressure on them. If they proved insolvent, they were released before being placed under legal guardianship. Article 1 of Protocol 4 of the European Convention on Human Rights prohibits the imprisonment of people for breach of a contract. Turkey has signed but never ratified Protocol 4. Debtor's prison, both for private and State debt,
3752-513: Was banned from being a company director for 15 years in September 2014. A warrant was issued on 14 November 2014 by the Crown Office for Whyte's arrest in connection with alleged fraud carried out during the purchase of Rangers. Four arrests were also made in England on 14 November 2014 as part of the ongoing investigation. On 27 November 2014, Whyte had been detained by police in Mexico and
3819-544: Was charged with conspiracy as well as a charge under Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 Section 28(1). On 6 June 2017 he was acquitted of all charges, after a lengthy trial at Glasgow High Court . Whyte was declared bankrupt at the High Court in London in October 2015, following his non-payment of damages awarded to Ticketus in 2013. Whyte owned the historic Castle Grant , near Grantown-on-Spey , in
3886-565: Was common in Ancien Régime France. It was suppressed during the French Revolution (1793–1797), but later reinstated. The debtor's prison for civil debts was abolished in 1867. France still allows for contrainte judiciaire , ordered by a judge, for persons unwilling to pay court-ordered fines as part of a judicial sentence. Older, underage and unsolvable persons are exempted from the contrainte . Though France has
3953-488: Was discovered that Whyte had financed his takeover of the club by mortgaging future revenues, rather than by investing any personal funds or other funds to which he had access. Whyte sold his controlling interest in Rangers for £2 to a consortium led by Charles Green on 13 May 2012, following what had, in effect, become an auction process among various consortia for ownership of the club, overseen by Duff and Phelps in that company's role as Administrator. Green offered creditors
4020-517: Was far from pleasant, and the inmates were forced to pay for their keep. Samuel Byrom, son of the writer and poet John Byrom , was imprisoned for debt in the Fleet in 1725, and in 1729 he sent a petition to his old school friend, the Duke of Dorset , in which he raged against the injustices of the system. Some debtor prisoners were even less fortunate, being sent to prisons with a mixture of vicious criminals and petty criminals, and many more were confined to
4087-442: Was held due to an arrest warrant in relation to the ongoing investigation into his takeover of Rangers in 2011. On 28 November he appeared at Glasgow Sheriff Court , no plea or declaration was made, and he was released on bail. Whyte was again arrested in September 2015 when he attended Govan Police Station. On 2 September he appeared at Glasgow Sheriff Court along with the former Rangers FC Chief Executive, Charles Greene. Whyte
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#17327983566194154-527: Was imprisoned for debt between 1808 and 1809 where he made use of his time by writing "Memoirs of the War". Debtors' prisons were prevalent throughout the United States until the mid-19th century. Economic hardships following the War of 1812 with Great Britain helped swell prison populations with simple debtors. This resulted in significant attention being given to plights of the poor and most dependent jailed under
4221-508: Was never received by the Inland Revenue . In his response to these claims, Craig Whyte denied all allegations of criminality, and stated that he had only ever been a minor shareholder in Re-Tex, rather than a de facto Director. Rangers FC withdrew all cooperation with the BBC following what the club referred to as "repeated difficulties", describing the investigative programme as a "prejudiced muckraking exercise". Immediately after
4288-562: Was not a fit and proper person to run a football club. On 13 February 2012, Rangers filed legal papers at the Court of Session giving notice of its intention to appoint Administrators . Rangers officially entered administration on the following day, appointing London-based financial advisers Duff & Phelps as administrators. This move was forced by Rangers' failure to make £9 million in PAYE and VAT payments since Whyte took control. It
4355-402: Was not to discharge the obligation to pay, but rather to act as a compulsitor to force the debtor into revealing any hidden assets. The Scots law allowing the imprisonment of debtors was grounded in large part by an Act of Sederunt of 23 November 1613, which introduced the process of 'horning' whereby the creditor would demand the payment of the debt by a certain date. If the debtor did not satisfy
4422-548: Was played by W.C. Fields in the 1935 screen classic, Personal History, Adventures, Experience, and Observation of David Copperfield the Younger . Bob Hoskins took the role in a 1999 BBC serial . Peter Capaldi played Micawber in the 2019 Armando Iannucci film The Personal History of David Copperfield . Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones named one of his guitars (an early 1950s Fender Telecaster with
4489-409: Was still practiced until January 2008, when the law changed after imprisonment for unpaid taxes, as well as other debts to the government or to the social security office, was declared unconstitutional after having been practiced for 173 years; imprisonment was, however, still retained for debts to private banks. The situation regarding imprisonment (προσωποκράτηση (prosōpokrátēsē): custody) for debts to
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