People owe Duval County more than $100 million in court fines. The county is hoping to encourage some payment with an unprecedented day of amnesty this Saturday.
Anyone who’s had a court fine go to collections in Duval County, knows about the 40-percent collections fee private agencies tack on — on top of what they owe the courts. That fee would be more than $65 on a $164 speeding ticket. But this Saturday, debtors will have an eight-hour window to pay fees with a complete forgiveness of the 40 percent collections fine. Duval Court Clerk Operations Officer Derek Igou says it’s called Operation Green Light.
Igou said, “It’s allowing money to come in that goes out to other programs, such as rape crisis, Crime Stoppers, some of these other agencies that benefit from people paying some of these fines.
Igou says the courthouse on West Adams Street will be open Saturday from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. And for people whose drivers’ licenses have been suspended because of fines, the Tax Collector’s Office will also be open to reinstate them once fines have been paid.
Most Florida Counties are participating in Operation Green Light on Saturday. And St. Johns County is going beyond that — it’s been offering the fine forgiveness this whole week ending on Saturday.
