Indiana: Marion Superior Court Nets $1 Million Using Private Collection Agencies

Marion Superior Court has recovered $1 million in unpaid fines for traffic tickets (moving violations) through a collection effort using private debt collection companies.

Working through five collection agencies, the Court targeted unpaid tickets dating back to 1999, resulting in revenue of $1,000,670.00 (November 2005 ? September 2006). Collection efforts will continue for unpaid tickets dating back to 1999. Tickets dating back to 1988 are next in line and hold the potential to recoup millions of dollars for the County and State.

?The Court realizes its responsibility during tight fiscal times to do everything it can to improve efficiencies, including not turning a blind eye to those who disregard their responsibility to pay for moving violations. Our message is simple: ?If you?ve forgotten to pay a ticket, we have not; expect to hear from us soon,? ? said Presiding Judge Cale Bradford, Marion Superior Court.

Collections for additional years will be phased in during the remainder of this year and next. Also, as of August 2006, traffic tickets not paid within the required 120-day period are automatically forwarded to collection agencies, something not done in the past years.

The revenue from collection efforts benefit the State of Indiana, law enforcement (through a special Law Enforcement Training Fund), and local units of government such as Marion County and the City of Indianapolis. For every dollar of court costs collected, 70% goes to the State, 27% to the county, and 3% to municipalities.

Traffic tickets that go into collections cost violators an additional 25% collection fee, which pays for the outsourced collection effort at no cost to the Superior Court or Marion County taxpayers.

Marion Superior Court Moving Violations Collections

By The Numbers

• $1,000,670.00 Net dollars to Marion Superior Court for traffic ticket collections through debt collection companies. (November 2005 ? September 2006)

• $250,168.00 Amount paid to collection agencies to recoup the $1 million dollars. 25% is added to tickets to pay for collections at no cost to the Marion Superior Court or Marion County taxpayers.

• 52,236 Number of unpaid tickets written to Indiana residents from 2003 ? 2004.

• 120 Days to pay traffic tickets (moving violations) in Marion County before they are sent to a debt collection agency.

• 50 Approximate percent of people with unpaid traffic tickets who have multiple violations/tickets.

• 5 Number of private collection agencies contracted by the Marion Superior Court.