Having a record expunged usually requires filing a petition at trial courts like the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas.
Sarah Kovash / WESA
Having a record expunged usually requires filing a petition at trial courts like the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas.
Sarah Kovash / WESA
(Harrisburg) — Common pleas and magisterial district judges would be allowed to hire private collection agencies to pursue overdue court fines and costs under a bill approved Friday by the Pennsylvania Legislature.
The bill that passed the House by a 109-92 vote would apply after a defendant fails to appear for a court hearing on the status of restitution and other court-related financial costs.
Collection agencies would be allowed to retain up to 25% of the amount they recover. A Senate analysis projects it could bring in a few million dollars in the short term and hundreds of millions a year after that.
Backers say much of the unpaid costs are traffic fines from people who live in other counties and therefore have a reduced motivation to pay what they owe.
State court officials say there are about 65,000 cases that owe money, a total of some $16.3 million. The overdue costs and fines are growing by about $1.6 million a year, according to the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts.
A collection of interviews, photos, and music videos, featuring local musicians who have stopped by the WITF performance studio to share a little discussion and sound. Produced by WITF’s Joe Ulrich.
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