RD243 - FY07 Fines and Fees Report, Final


Executive Summary:
Court Clerks
• In FY07, Court Clerks assessed $468M and collected $346M in fines and fees.
• The collection rate for Court Clerks was nearly 74 percent.
• Collections between FY06 and FY07 increased by $16M; however, the collection rate decreased (1.2 percent).

Commonwealth’s Attorneys
• In FY07, net assessments of delinquent fines and fees by Commonwealth’s Attorneys were $102M.
• Gross collections for Commonwealth’s Attorneys were $58M.
• Net collections in FY07 were $45M.
• The collection rate was nearly 57 percent.
• Net collections between FY06 and FY07 increased $1.6M; however, the collection rate decreased (3.0 percent).
Trend Data for Assessments and Collections
• Court assessments have risen from nearly $199M in FY95 to nearly $468M in FY07.
• Court Clerks collected nearly $134M in FY95 compared to nearly $346M in FY07.
• The collection rate of Court Clerks has ranged from a low of 67 percent in FY01 to a high of 79 percent in FY98.
• Gross collections of delinquent fines and fees by Commonwealth’s Attorneys were over $10M in FY95 compared to $58M in FY07.
• The collection rate of Commonwealth’s Attorneys has ranged from a low of 7 percent in FY95 to 60 percent in FY06.

Collection Agents
• In FY07, 13 collection agents contracted with Commonwealth’s Attorneys for the collection of delinquent fines and fees.
• Collection fee percentages ranged from nearly 17 percent to 35 percent.
• Collection rates ranged from under 30 percent (Marvel Collections) to 76 percent (David S. Hudson).

In-House Collection Programs
• In FY07, six localities had In-House Programs that assessed and collected delinquent fines and fees.
• Collection fee percentages ranged from 25 percent to 35 percent.
• Collection rates ranged from 25 percent (Floyd County) to nearly 46 percent (Roanoke City).
• Collection cost percentages ranged from 1 percent (Montgomery County) to 17 percent (Floyd County).

Courts with Higher than Statewide Average Collection Rate: Court Clerks
• The statewide average collection rate for all courts was 75 percent in FY04, 76 percent in FY05, 75 percent in FY06, and 74 percent in FY07.
• 12 Circuit Courts had a higher than statewide average collection rate for the past four consecutive years.
• All reporting courts in eight localities had a higher than statewide average collection rate for the past four consecutive fiscal years.
• All reporting courts in an additional ten localities had a higher than statewide average collection rate for three of the four previous fiscal years.

Courts with Higher than Statewide Average Collection Rate: Collection Agents of Commonwealth’s Attorneys
• The statewide average collection rate for collection agents was 53 percent in FY04, 60 percent in FY05, 60 percent in FY06, and 57 percent in FY07.
• 9 Circuit Courts had a higher than statewide average collection rate for the past four consecutive years.
• All reporting courts in 3 localities had a higher than statewide average collection rate for the past four consecutive fiscal years.
• All reporting courts in an additional 3 localities had a higher than statewide average collection rate for three of the four previous fiscal years.