Attorney Mike Hebert Discusses Drivers That Ignore Red Light Amnesty

Lafayette Consolidated Government Attorney Mike Hebert joined 'Mornings With Ken and Bernie' today to discuss the amnesty program for violators of the Redflex Safe- Light Safe Speed program.

In response to our question concerning what will happen to drivers who let the red-light amnesty period pass without paying their fines Hebert replied,

I have been directed by the Council's ordinance to file collection law suits against those violators who have not paid their fines after the amnesty period.  Now it's not every violator to be clear because there are some selection criteria for of a lack of a better way to put it in the ordinance.  It's owners of vehicles that are registered with the Louisiana Department of Motor Vehicles who have more than $125 of violations in the past three years.

When asked what the process would involve Hebert said,

A civil lawsuit is filed against the violator to collect the safe-light or safe-speed violation and it goes through normal channels.  The person would be served with a lawsuit and would have an opportunity to answer the lawsuit and appear in court.  Those lawsuits typically take one of two routes.  Either the person appears and contests the matter in which case there is a trial or the case is dispensed with on motions  Or the person does not appear in which case typically in which there would be a default judgement.

After a case is brought to trial Hebert said other mechanisms can be used to collect the fine.

Things like garnishment.  Things like seizure of property.  There are some cost-benefit issues that we have to address here that not every violator will be cost effective to pursue to that degree.

You can hear more about proceedings to collect past due safe-light and safe-speed fines by listen to the interview: