The city of Selma’s contract with a private probation company that is being sued by the Southern Poverty Law Center is set to end in November.

According to Sam Brooke, deputy legal director for the SPLC, 70 out of 100 cities have been notified by Judicial Correction Services that they will no longer continue services in the state of Alabama.

“SPLC has been waiting for this day, and are thankful it has arrived,” Brooke said. “All along we have been saying that JCS’s operation is illegal and is creating a two-tier system of justice, which punishes the poor.”

The SPLC alleges that JCS threatened people on probation with jail time if they could not pay their fees. The suit accuses JCS of violating the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.

Brooke said the justice system is one step closer to being fair and treating everyone equally, despite their wealth. According to the SPLC, JCS will no longer operate in the state of Alabama as of Nov. 13.

After filing a racketeering lawsuit against JCS for its Clanton operations in March, the SPLC sent letters to every city that had an active contract with the probation company asking them to cancel their contracts.

By August, there were 30 to 50 cities that still had active contracts, including Selma.

Brooke said he believes the lawsuit and request for cities to cancel their contracts with JCS had a direct impact on the company’s decision to cease operations in Alabama.

“I think JCS realized the writing was on the wall — it was no longer possible for them to operate within the state,” Brooke said. “Of course, JCS is also facing lawsuits from the Evans law firm in Birmingham and suits by the city of Harpersville and Childersburg. All of this likely contributed to their departure.”

According to a map of cities with closed contract and open contracts in Alabama that was complied by the SPLC, the city of Selma’s contract is closed. Information that was provided with the map says the city’s contract ends next month.

Brooke said the SPLC was notified by JCS’s attorneys that they are leaving the state and several cities that have received notices have notified the SPLC as well.

Messages left Friday for Colleen Ray, the state director for JCS, were not immediately returned.

Forty-one offices in Alabama were listed on JCS’s website as of Friday afternoon, which included Selma.

City attorney Jimmy Nunn could not be reached for comment to confirm the city’s status with Judicial Correction Services.

A phone call to the Selma Judicial Correction Services office located inside the Selma Police Department was not answered Friday afternoon.

Brooke said the SPLC will continue its lawsuit against JCS for its Clanton operations.

“The lawsuit had two parts. First, to end the contract between JCS and Clanton. That part is now over,” Brooke said. “Second, to seek damages for the abuses our three clients faced when they were threatened by JCS. Our legal claim arguing that JCS was extorting our clients is continuing.”