The Clerk of Circuit Court for Baltimore City determined $7.6 million of approximately $12.7 million of the outstanding balance for criminal court fees was uncollectible.
Since 2008, five audits by the Office of Legislative Audits have identified deficiencies regarding the collection of delinquent criminal court fees, fines, and penalties by the Clerk of Circuit Court for Baltimore City, Maryland. The audits also highlight that the court’s recordkeeping was insufficient to comply with State regulations. State law requires the Clerk’s Office to forward delinquent accounts to the Department of Budget and Management’s Central Collection Unit (CCU) for further collection efforts. However, after failed collection efforts, the Clerk’s Office has requested abatement of cases from 1961 through 2007 for criminal costs and fines and has not forwarded a majority of accounts to CCU. The audit provides recommendations to aid in the collection of delinquent accounts.
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Key Findings:
- 22,750 delinquent accounts, totaling $6.2 million, have not been forwarded to CCU by the Clerk’s Office.
- The Clerk’s Office has failed to record due dates for approximately 4,700 accounts, totaling $1 million.
Recommendations:
- Forward all delinquent accounts to the CCU.
- Monitor accounts for deferred court fees.