Antioch making it easier to pay fines

Antioch residents who get tickets for breaking minor laws will soon be able settle their cases in town rather than driving to Waukegan or other branch court locations.

Village officials are moving ahead with plans to open an adjudication court. Trustees voted in favor of the plan at Monday's board meeting.

Mayor Larry Hanson said the court should be up and running in the next couple of months. Operating out of village hall, it will likely be open once or twice a month and have evening hours.

Hanson said convenience is the prime motivator in setting up the court.

"Residents won't have to travel to other courts and sit through a bunch of hearings for several hours before they get called," Hanson said Thursday. "Evening hours will make things easier for parents who need to come to court with their children. They won't have to take off work."

Typical cases might include nuisance complaints, building code violations, delinquent parking tickets, truancy and minor drinking tickets, officials said. The court cannot be used for traffic violations.

The adjudication officer hasn't been chosen yet, but Hanson said it's likely that person will be a retired judge who is certified in the adjudication process.

Beyond convenience, the village stands to collect more revenue having the cases settled in town rather than in county courts, Hanson said.

"The fine stays within the municipality," he said. "Now the town is getting most of the costs of that violation instead of sharing it with somebody else."

Beach Park and Round Lake Beach also have adjudication courts. Beach Park Village Administrator Ken Lopez says the court has been successful since it started in 2006.

"Property maintenance violations were a constant problem in our town. That was the reason we set this up," Lopez said. "It's been working very well. It's been easier for residents to appear before a hearing officer in town and work out their issues. We've seen a lot of improvement in compliance now. Most people work out their problems and avoid fines."

The police department will benefit as well, Hanson said. Some village employees, including building inspectors, have been authorized to issue tickets instead of having a police officer write them.

"The other benefit is that our police won't have to spend hours in court and be out of the village," Hanson said. "They can be on patrol instead of sitting in court."

Antioch Police Chief Jim Foerster said the idea has been in the planning stages for more than a year. He says it will simplify things.

"What this does is streamlines a system for minor violations," Foerster said. "We don't have to clog up branch court, state court or the traffic court systems. I'm in full support of it. It's a great idea."