Ministry of Justice
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PUBLIC REGISTER OF JUDGMENTS, ORDERS AND FINES
From today those who fail to pay fines handed down by magistrates' courts or sums of money ordered in High Court judgments will find their names recorded in a public register.
The new Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines will include these details together with county court judgments, county court administration orders and Child Support Agency liability orders. For the first time the Register will bring together details of all those defaulting on various financial judgments, replacing the Register of County Court Judgments established in 1852.
Information from the Register is used by lenders to assess a person's creditworthiness. Those who try to avoid payment may find their ability to obtain employment, housing or other services restricted. The sanction will be used by fines officers in the magistrates' courts to target those who won't pay their fines. Where an offender is having difficulty paying their fine, the fines officer will be able to discuss the options available to them, as well as the availability of debt advice.
Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs and Lord Chancellor, Lord Falconer said:
"Fines can only be credible sentencing options if they're enforced properly. The certainty that offenders will be publicly registered will encourage them to pay.
"In pilot schemes the registration of fine defaulters has proved an effective sanction to make them pay as the court has instructed."
Since 27 March all magistrates' courts have the power and the tools to apply registration as a sanction.
Her Majesty's Courts Service has recently negotiated a revised contract with Registry Trust Ltd, who will run the Register of Judgements Orders and Fines until 2009. The Registry Trust Ltd, has been running the Register of County Court Judgements since 1986.
Notes For Editors
1. The Registry Trust Ltd is a non-profit company, established and run by members of the credit industry.
2. Third sector organisations like the Registry Trust Ltd will be able to bid in any future competition to provide the registry service beyond 2009.
3. The fines officer, a new enforcement role in the magistrates' court, actively helps those who are struggling to pay their fine, by giving advice and providing information on debt advice.
ENDS
