RD471 - Compensation Board FY15 Fines and Fees Report - December 1, 2015


Executive Summary:
Court Clerks

• In FY15, Court Clerks assessed $429.3M1 and collected $251.4M in fines and fees.
• Court assessments between FY14 and FY15 decreased by $71.9M(1).
• Collections by Court Clerks between FY14 and FY15 decreased by $7.2M.

(1) During FY15, the Supreme Court of Virginia revised the method of recording Court assessments to better reflect the removal of written-off accounts from court assessment totals. Between FY12 and FY14 there were no written-off accounts reflected, resulting in higher assessment totals. Alternate figures for FY12 to FY14 are shown on page 9 of this report.

Commonwealth’s Attorneys

• In FY15, total assessments(2) of delinquent fines and fees were $186.3M.
• Assessments of delinquent restitution amounts sent to collections were $28.6M.
• Net assessments(3) of delinquent fines and fees were $149.4M.
• Net assessments(3) of delinquent fines and fees between FY14 and FY15 decreased by $19.8M.
• Total collections(4) of delinquent fines and fees by Commonwealth’s Attorneys were $73.0M.
• Restitution collections in FY15 totaled $5.3M, and collections of fee offset amounts totaled $5.2M.
• Net collections(5) by Commonwealth’s Attorneys in FY15 were $68.2M.
• Net collections(5) by Commonwealth’s Attorneys between FY14 and FY15 increased by $13.3M.

(2) Total assessments exclude restitution, but include an assessed amount to offset collections fees as of FY14.

(3) Net assessments include restitution assessments as of FY14.

(4) Total collections exclude both restitution and offset fee amounts collected.

(5) Net collections include restitution collections and offset fee amounts collected as of FY14, and deduct collection fees.

Trend Data for Assessments and Collections

Court Clerks

• Court assessments were:

• $281.5M in FY98;
• $483.0M in FY10; and
• $429.3M in FY15.

• Court collections were:

• $192.2M in FY98;
• $360.5M in FY10; and
• $251.4M in FY15.

Commonwealth’s Attorneys

• Commonwealth’s Attorneys’ net assessments(*1) were:

• $95.5M in FY98;
• $99.0M in FY10; and
• $149.4M in FY15.
• Commonwealth’s Attorneys’ total collections(*2) were:

• $29.2M in FY98;
• $54.9M in FY10; and
• $73.0M in FY15.

• Commonwealth’s Attorneys’ net collections(*3) were:

• $23.0M in FY98;
• $43.3M in FY10; and
• $68.2M in FY15.

(*1) Net assessments include restitution assessments for FY15, but not FY98 or FY10.
(*2) Total collections exclude both restitution and offset fee amounts collected for all years.
(*3) Net collections include restitution collections and offset fee amounts collected for FY15, but not FY98 or FY10. Net collections deduct collection fees for all years.

Collection Agents

• In FY15, Commonwealth’s Attorneys contracted with nine private collection agents, six localities 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 FY15, twelve Commonwealth’s Attorneys collected delinquent fines and fees in-house.
• Collection fee percentages ranged from 30 percent to 35 percent.