Last Updated on February 8, 2020, 11:03 AM | Published: February 7, 2020
You have less than two months to take advantage of the Oklahoma City Municipal Court reduced fine program that began in July 2019.
The program that allows your fine to be lowered to what it would have been if you had paid it on time will end March 31.
How it works
The new Municipal Court Building at 701 Couch Drive has many amenities that get people who have to go there in and out quickly.
You don’t even have to go to court and appear before a judge, either. The Municipal Court clerks have the authority to process the old warrants on tickets and take your payment for their original offense.
In some cases, you could get your license back if you have lost it due to outstanding warrants and fines with Municipal Court.
“Overdue tickets this old prevent people from reinstating their driving privileges with the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety, and there’s also an active warrant,” said Municipal Court Administrator LaShawn Thompson.
“So beyond encouraging compliance with enforcement of our ordinances, this makes sure an old speeding ticket isn’t the reason someone has trouble getting to work or to school. People can close the case and it won’t be hanging over their head anymore.”
Cases closed
According to Thompson, by February 3 there were 826 cases paid. And, $128,778 had been collected in that program.
She said 318 Failure to Appear cases were dismissed as a result of the program.
User-friendly court building
Free Press covered the new $23 million Municipal Court Building opening in September 2017.
There are many aspects to the court building’s design that make it function better for city residents who have to come there.
One of those changes was to put the payment windows outside of the security checkpoint instead of inside to shorten the time people have to spend in the courthouse.
Just pull up in front. Walk into the first set of doors and you will see the payment windows to the side.
“Not going to be arrested!”
In June before the program started we talked to Presiding Judge Philippa James. She is the judge in charge of the other municipal judges.
“People think if they go to that courthouse they will be arrested,” she said. “But, that’s not true.”
“If they walk in that building on their own, they are NOT going to be arrested! We are going to help them get that ticket resolved,” Judge James told Free Press.
“I promise they will not get arrested if they walk in our building voluntarily,” Judge James said. “As soon as you walk in that building, your case is going to get resolved.”
Founder, publisher, and editor of Oklahoma City Free Press. Brett continues to contribute reports and photography to this site as he runs the business.
