Municipal Amnesty Program: Are you wanted by the city? - WALB.com, Albany News, Weather, Sports

Municipal Amnesty Program: Are you wanted by the city?

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By Karen Cohilas - bio | email

ALBANY, GA (WALB) - More than 2,000 offenders owe Albany Municipal Court more than $400,000 in fees and fines.

Those people could go to jail for not paying up, but they have a chance to wipe the slate clean.

For 30 days only, Judge Willie Weaver is offering an amnesty program for people with minor offenses. If you show up and pay your fine, he won't throw you in jail for missing your court date and he'll drop the contempt of court fee.

The 2,000+ warrants date back two decades. Fines owed for everything from not wearing a seat belt to marijuana use.

"We still have a large number out there that we need to get people in to take care of or they have to go to jail," said Municipal Court Judge Willie Weaver.

For the second year, Judge Willie Weaver is offering an amnesty program for Municipal Court. Consider it a get out of jail card, that in fact, keeps you from going to jail.

If your name is on the list of old warrants, pay the fine you owe, and you won't also be slapped with a contempt charge if you missed your date in court, and it will also keep you out of jail.

"It's income tax time, I'd be glad for them to use some of that money and rectifying they're driving history and get back on the road with a good drivers license," said Weaver.

Last year, $50,000 in back fees was paid, when more than 240 people took advantage of the program. It helped clear up a back log of warrants and fees and Weaver hopes the same will happen this year.

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