RD391 - Compensation Board FY09 Fines and Fees Report - December 1, 2009


Executive Summary:
Court Clerks

• In FY09, Court Clerks assessed $488M and collected $362M in fines and fees.
• Court assessments between FY08 and FY09 decreased by $1.3M.
• Collections by Court Clerks between FY08 and FY09 decreased by $19.5.

Commonwealth’s Attorneys

• In FY09, gross assessments of delinquent fines and fees were $156M.
• Net assessments of delinquent fines and fees were $110M.
• Gross collections for Commonwealth’s Attorneys were $58M.
• Net collections in FY09 were $46M.
• Net collections by Commonwealth’s Attorneys between FY08 and FY09 decreased $1.95M.

Trend Data for Assessments and Collections

• Court assessments have risen from $199M in FY95 to $488M in FY09.
• Court Clerks collected nearly $134M in FY95 compared to nearly $362M in FY09.
• Gross collections of delinquent fines and fees by Commonwealth’s Attorneys were over $10M in FY95 compared to $58M in FY09.

Collection Agents

• In FY09, Commonwealth’s Attorneys contracted with ten private collection agents, one city and one state agency for the collection of delinquent fines and fees.
• Collection fee percentages ranged from 17 percent to 35 percent.

In-House Collection Programs

• In FY09, seven localities had In-House Programs that assessed and collected delinquent fines and fees.
• Collection fee percentages ranged from 29 percent to 35 percent.
• Collection cost percentages ranged from 0 percent to 15 percent.