In that vain, we’re going to cover a little bit about the implications of not paying court fines and how it can lead to warrants.
Something like a legal order for non-payment of fines is something that no one wants to receive. And just as flood damage affects the community, failing to pay court ordered fines can carry greater repercussions than only the individual.
For those that may not know what a Failure to Pay Court Fines Warrant is, it is a legal order to garnish wages, bank accounts, or other assets from a person that has failed to pay a fine that was previously court ordered. This is something that is done in order to recoup losses from individuals who fail to honor their fines.
Gathering fines, court costs and restitution is done to help fund our project. Not only is it our job to enforce the law; we have to make sure that lawbreakers pay their fines. This is especially true for people who appear in front of our judges.
The real cause for alarm here is if you fail to pay fines, court costs, and restitution; then this affects everyone. Court costs and restitution pay the court’s bills and fund programs like Drug Court and Veterans’ Court. If people do not pay fines, court costs, and restitution, the burden falls on the taxpayer.
We’re hoping to avoid a “failure to pay court fines warrant” in this case. So here’s what to do when you first receive a fine (just as you’re supposed to prepare before a flood):
Go to the courthouse and see what you have due. From there, taking the steps to rectify the situation should be easy. Officers will often allow you to fill out an affidavit for poverty so that your fine can be converted to community service work.
The alternate punishment is designed to help break criminal habits through the use of monetary fines, either in lieu of or in addition to jail time. It is also intended to impose restitution on the offender, to force them to repay their obligations to society, in the form of fines and court costs.
This enables the court to offer what is called a suspended sentence. The hope is that you can spend less time behind bars, and more time at work. The court doesn’t want to weed out an entire generation, just because people make mistakes. Make payments for what you owe, and while you’re at it, pay it all off.
In short, the officers are going to do their best to make sure that you don’t wind up with a warrant for non-payment of court ordered fines. In doing so, you’ll look out for your community as well. That’s something that we plan to do in the case of a flood.