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Collections Unit
The Collections Unit focuses on collecting and enforcing fines, including reparation and civil debts. This helps to:
- enhance the credibility of fines as a sentencing option
- increase public regard for the administration of justice
- fosters respect for, and compliance with, the law.
The core business of Collections has three distinct roles:
- the collection and enforcement of fines, including Court-imposed fines, lodged infringements, reparation, Court costs and fees
- the enforcement of civil judgement orders on behalf of judgement creditors where payment has been ordered by the Court
- the service of court documents.
Structure
There are a total of 18 District Collections Units and nine associated Collections offices. Collections has 18 District Collections Units, which are mainly located in Courts in Whangarei, North Shore, Auckland, Waitakere, Manukau, Papakura (Northern Region); Tauranga, Hamilton, Rotorua, Gisborne (Waikato Region); Hastings, Palmerston North, Lower Hutt, Wellington (Central Region); Nelson, Christchurch, Dunedin, Invercargill (Southern Region).
The nine associated Collections Offices are located in Napier, New Plymouth, Wanganui, Porirua, Timaru, Kaikohe (hub at Whangarei), Whakatane (hub at Tauranga), Taupo (hub at Rotorua) Masterton (hub at Hastings).
In most cases, Collections Units are located in the local District Court. In smaller towns where there is no stand-alone Collections Unit, the work is done by the staff of the local District Court on behalf of the Collections Unit.
Dedicated Collections Contact Centres are located in Wellington and Auckland. They make and receive phone calls relating to fines payment, and co-ordinate datamatching with other approved agencies to locate fines defaulters.
The Collections National Office deals with strategy, policy, business improvement, finance, human resources and communications.
Functions
Fines:
By far the largest part of the Collections business relates to the collection and enforcement of fines. These fines include:
- Fines imposed by the Court for major and minor criminal offences
- Fines that are a result of unpaid infringements (e.g. traffic and parking tickets) which have been lodged with the Court for enforcement
- Court-ordered payments to victims (reparation, restitution, part-payment of fine).
People who are fined are sent formal notices advising them of a fine and its due date, which is 28 days after imposition, which encourage them to voluntarily pay or make payment arrangements by the due date. The notices also explain any rights of appeal or applications. If fines are not paid by the due date, an enforcement fee of $100 may be added to the fine, and enforcement action can be taken to recover the money. This enforcement action can include wheel clamping a vehicle, seizing property, or making compulsory deductions from income or a bank account. In cases where people clearly cannot pay a fine and enforcement action is not viable, they may be brought back in front of a Judge to have their fine replaced by an alternative sentence.
The enforcement of orders to make payment to victims are handled in the same way, except that the money collected from the offender is forwarded to the victim by the Ministry of Justice. If victims believe that there should be funds waiting to be disbursed to them, they can call the free phone 0800-909-909 and make enquires.
The brochures "All About Court Fines" and "Reparation to Victims" are available on this site (Publications - Information for Courts Users). Further information on the fines process can be found on www.fines.govt.nz.
Civil Judgments
The Collections Unit also serves and executes civil judgment orders, and enforces Court Orders on behalf of judgment creditors (the party in whose favour the judgement was made). Civil judgments are made as a result of a civil court case, or in a tribunal such as the Disputes Tribunal or the Tenancy Tribunal. In all civil judgments, the successful party is responsible for initiating each stage of the enforcement proceedings and providing the debtor's current address. The Court cannot guarantee the recovery of civil debts.