PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — The Rhode Island Judiciary wants to collect more than $81 million in unpaid court fees.
Judiciary spokesman Craig Berke tells WPRI-TV the state sent out 276,000 letters this week to residents in an attempt to settle past-due bills.
Berke says $113.2 million is owed to the traffic, superior and district courts, but $81 million is delinquent. He says lawmakers asked the judiciary to request the money.
A resident told the station that he paid his fee more than 20 years ago but still received a letter. Berke says court personnel will have to look up the individual case for anyone who wants to contest their fee.
The House Judiciary Committee chair and vice chair didn’t immediately respond to the station’s requests for comment.
