At the January 26, 2026 meeting of the La Porte County Council, the Clerk’s office outlined a new approach intended to address that gap.
Clerk Heather Stevens explained that the county has begun using a service called PayCourt to pursue overdue court-ordered fines and fees. According to the Clerk, the program does not require any upfront cost to the county.
Instead, the service provider is compensated through an additional fee assessed to the individual who owes the fine. In response to questions from council members, the Clerk stated that the fee is 30 percent and is added to the balance owed rather than deducted from the county’s share.
The Clerk said she reviewed unpaid court balances covering the period from January 1 through July 1, 2025. Based on that report, she stated that unpaid amounts eligible for collection during that six-month window totaled well over $100,000. Any funds recovered would be deposited into the county’s general fund.
On timing, the Clerk said the initial focus would be on accounts that have been outstanding for 90 days or more. She also indicated that public notice would be issued through newspapers and the county website prior to collections beginning. The Clerk said she plans to return to the council with an update after tax season once initial collection reports are available.
The approach is intended to address a long-standing enforcement issue without increasing taxes or committing additional county resources, while attempting to collect funds already ordered by the courts.
