the federal report noted that ferguson was counting on revenues from fines and fees to generate $ 3.1 million , or nearly one - quarter of its total $ 13.3 million budget for the 2015 fiscal year .
the change comes after the justice department released a report last week that cited cases of racial profiling and bigotry by police and chided what it described as a profit - driven municipal court system in the predominantly black st. louis suburb where brown , 18 , was shot by a white ferguson police officer on aug. 9 .
the high court said wilson , who resigned from the department .
although it was rare for the court to sentence people to jail as a penalty for city code violations , the justice in the first session since the missouri supreme court took over ferguson 's municipal court , judge roy l. richter began with a detailed overview of the state 's court system , and then announced he was lowering some of the fines .
the missouri appeals court judge was appointed monday to take over ferguson 's municipal court cases .
but the justice department said ferguson 's police and court systems functioned as a money - making enterprise that heightened tensions among residents .
 
ferguson municipal judge ronald j. brockmeyer resigned monday , saying through a spokesman that he was stepping down to promote public confidence in the court and help ferguson " begin its healing process . "
judge richter will bring a fresh , disinterested perspective to this court 's practices , and he is able and willing to implement needed reforms , " chief justice mary russell said in a written statement . "