Pierce District Court is not alone in this, although they do have one of the simplest programs to access. Also, some courts may be willing to pull tickets from collections, waive collection fees, waive interest, and/or set up payment plans,
depending on the person’s individual circumstances. The nice thing about a payment plan is that the unpaid-ticket hold on a person’s driver’s license should be lifted after they make their first payment. (Of course, they need to keep making payments or their
license will be suspended again, and it’s a lot harder to get a third chance.) This often allows someone to become employed or keep a job, enabling them to continue making the payments. Typically, people have to bring a motion in the court where their ticket
is from to get any of this relief. NJP has a nice packet on this available at
https://www.washingtonlawhelp.org/resource/my-driver-license-was-suspended-can-i-get-it?ref=Ldm4x. Low-income people can also call CLEAR (NJP’s advice and intake line) (1-888-201-1014) for advice. If they don’t know what ticket(s) they have, they can
find out from the DOL’s website what tickets are suspending their license. The AG’s office has also been working on getting the legislature to create a statewide relicensing program, so that people would not have to contact each court individually and navigate
each court’s program, but it has yet to happen.
Of course, none of this actually provides MONEY for people to pay off tickets, but the options hopefully make it easier for people to be able to pay them off themselves.
Jennifer Ammons
Staff Attorney
Northwest Justice Project
715 Tacoma Avenue South
Tacoma, WA 98402
(253) 272-7879, ext. 0937
1-888-201-1015 (toll-free)
(253)272-8226 (fax)
Combatting Injustice • Strengthening Communities • Protecting Human Dignity
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