New Elimination of Court-Related Fees Policy Adopted by UG Commission
Published on July 25, 2023
Kansas City, KS – At the July 13, 2023, commission meeting, the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas (UG) commissioners amended an ordinance to reduce the impact fines and fees have on our community. The Board formally amended Section 23-13 of the Code of Ordinances to eliminate all UG-related fees for people with Municipal Court business.
The amended ordinance eliminated a fee of $30 that was previously assessed automatically when an accused person submitted a plea of guilty or no contest. Additionally, the amended ordinance defines a process for an ability to pay hearing, clarifying the options available to individuals without the financial means to pay fines and fees.
Last year, the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas joined the second cohort of the Cities & Counties for Fine and Fee Justice (CCFFJ) program. With five other communities across the country, the Fines and Fees Justice Center is providing customized technical and strategic assistance concerning policy, research, communications and data as tools to evaluate fine and fine reform. The cohort communities are each pursuing reforms that include eliminating criminal justice fees — the surcharges, penalties, and interest that drive up debt and make even a traffic ticket unaffordable for people living paycheck-to-paycheck.
“We have undertaken this important reform as part of the CCFFJ cohort,” said Administrative Judge Meaghan E. Shultz. “The changes in this ordinance not only eliminate the $30.00 court costs but it also formalizes the 'ability to pay' process. I have been holding these hearings since taking the bench in 2019 but appreciate the support of the Commission in formalizing these steps for the future.”
The Municipal Court retains the authority to assess fees for service of process, witness fees, fees for transcripts and depositions, fees for examination and evaluation, probation fees, community service fees, expungement fees, and fees for expenses incurred in serving a warrant. All state fees at the Municipal Court will remain in place.
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