DETROIT, MI — A new amnesty program to collect on unpaid traffic tickets and other debts in Detroit is raking in some much-needed revenue — and a lot of the credit is going to a judge who used Facebook to get the word out.
“Just walk in! Spread the word! Stop driving dirty!” 36th District Judge Cylenthia La Toye Miller wrote on her “Friends of Cynthia La Toye Miller” Facebook page.
More than 3,400 people shared Miller’s post, helping the 36th District collect $645,287 in the program’s first five days. This amount is more than twice what the court typically collects in a week.
The amnesty program began April 7 and ends May 2. It lets people settle their traffic tickets without paying late fees or facing jail time.
Chief Judge Nancy M. Blount acknowledged the program’s success is due in large part to Miller’s Facebook post.
Although the court issued a press release, “after that, it was mostly on social media,” she said.
Judge Michael J. Talbot, 36th District special judicial administrator, said he applauds using social media to spread the word about court initiatives.
“Social media has become an effective way for the courts to communicate with the public in real time,” he said. “Facebook works to get the word out because that’s where most people get information that is important to their daily lives.”
The amnesty program is just one of several efforts the 36th District has undertaken to collect outstanding payments. Most recent figures indicate the court is owed about $279 million, an amount that amassed over a 10-year period.
The court also has an out-of-county collections program, where people can pay fines and other fees at courts outside Detroit. The out-of-county courts then forward half the money to the 36th District.
Another program lets police officers on disability represent the police department in traffic matters. The officers can negotiate ticket payments on the spot.
The power of social media
Miller posted her Facebook comments on April 4, just three days before the program began.
“A 36th District Court Amnesty Program will be in effect from Monday, April 7, 2014 through May 2, 2014,” she wrote. “Civil Infractions with Default Judgments and Misdemeanor cases with money due will be covered! Late Fees and Warrant Fees will be waived.”
The judge also posted a copy of the local administrative order that authorized the program.
In fact, Miller’s Facebook page is chocked full of information about the 36th District and its activities.
“I hope that the information provided on this Page will be helpful to you and yours. I also appreciate those of you who are sharing the posts. In that manner, we can spread the word to people everywhere so that they can get the help they need to resolve their outstanding tickets! ,” Miller says on her page.
Grosse Pointe Park lawyer Timothy A. Dinan said he has no concerns with judges publicizing court information on social media sites.
“Judges are public officials, so I do not think it is improper for them to appear on Facebook to reach out to the public, as long as it done in a respectful manner by the judges,” Dinan said. “I think they open themselves up to the public in that manner.”
Clarkston attorney Timothy P. Flynn noted that social media is not just a way for courts to share information, but is also a way for them to save money.
“I see nothing wrong with the judges getting the word out in this cost-effective manner,” said Flynn, who is with Karlstrom Cooney.
“Such public announcement posts on social media do not violate judicial canons so long as debtors that do not take advantage of the program, and who subsequently appear before the promoting judges, are treated equally and fairly with those individuals that availed themselves of the amnesty opportunity,” Flynn said.
“We would expect this type of equal treatment from the judiciary,” he said.
Secrets to success
While social media helped spread the word, the amnesty program is also successful because people see a financial incentive to clear up their lingering cases, Talbot said.
“It’s also successful because the court is stepping up and making it more convenient for the public to get their business done,” Talbot noted.
Dinan said programs like these are effective when they are well publicized, offer a benefit and give people a chance to “come clean” without risking jail time.
“The minute a defendant walks out of court having made no payment or a small payment, it automatically becomes a collection problem for the court,” Dinan said. “It is an ‘out of sight, out of mind’ situation.”
The amnesty program is “a pragmatic solution to a difficult problem,” Dinan said.
The real solution, he said, is finding a way to get more fines paid earlier, and to “create a culture” of paying fines and costs in a timely manner.
Dinan also noted it is the perfect time of year to get people to pay money.
“The tax man usually has a refund for many employed folks, so that little bonus can clear up a court matter,” he said.
A ‘win-win’
During the amnesty program, the court is waiving late fees and the $60 warrant costs, Blount said.
“For those people who have a few tickets, it could be a substantial savings,” she noted.
The court also has extended hours through May 2. It is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. until 6:30 p.m. and on Saturdays from 8 a.m. until noon.
Overall, the program is a “win-win,” Talbot said, because it helps people get their licenses back and also generates revenue for the city of Detroit, which is the 36th District’s funding unit.
Grosse Pointe Park attorney Tim Paul Malefyt agreed the program is a benefit to everyone.
“They get the money they desperately need, and Detroit residents get their licenses back on track,” he said. “More efforts like this one should be taken up.”