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Overdue court debt costing Iowans millions of dollars in collection fees

Thursday, November 09, 2017

Overdue court debt costing Iowans millions of dollars in collection fees

 

"Iowans in a third of the state’s 99 counties are paying much more to satisfy overdue court debt than those in other parts of the state, a problem deepening poverty for thousands, Iowa legal experts say.

Thirty-three counties — including several that are home to the state's poorest residents, such as Appanoose and Decatur — defer collections to a private firm hired by Iowa’s judicial system, generating a host of complaints.

That Texas-based firm, Linebarger, Goggan, Blair & Sampson, specializes in the collection of delinquent accounts on behalf of governments around the country, charging add-on fees for overdue tickets, back taxes and unpaid tolls.

The firm collected $13.3 million in overdue court debt in 2017, according to Iowa's judicial system..."

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