Cherokee County precinct offering some reduced fines

Judge James Morris is trying to reduce the backlog of old cases by introducing a bit of amnesty for some old offenses.

The Cherokee County Precinct 3 Justice of the Pease has begun a "Justice and Mercy" program for his court - which will continue through May.

The program, which reduces fines on most outstanding charges to the minimum allowed by law, is intended, Morris said, to serve as incentive for citizens with open cases in Morris' court to close their cases.

"There are currently several thousand open cases on our system - somewhere in the neighborhood of 4,000 cases that go back over 10 years," he said. "The is designed to inspire people to close their old and inactive cases.

"It's a great opportunity for people to face a reduced fine, while ensuring that they aren't arrested in the future on old warrants."

This policy, he said doesn't infringe on the court's jurisdiction to asses fines as it sees fit to further justice. In most cases, the fines could be as low as $1 - over and above mandatory court costs and fees.

Some cases, however, have minimums established by law.

Morris said he would used the laws of the state to guide the court in what is allowable concerning the jurisdiction of his court to assess appropriate fines.

"Justice and Mercy" applies to all class-C misdemeanor cases, with the exception of Parks and Wildlife violations and truancyrelated charges. Mandatory court costs and fees will not be affected.

"We're not talking about murder or rape or serious crimes, only minor infractions of the law - mostly like traffic tickets and charges like that. The program only applies for fine-only offenses," Morris said.

Morris said his precinct faces more of a case backlog because his court handles twice the case volume of the other precincts.

"I think this program would be a good idea for the other precincts as well, though nothing I decide in my court has any effect on the other courts," he said. "I'm hoping that if my project succeeds, it may set a standard for the other courts."

If the program appears to be a success, Morris may decide either to extend the length of the program or to choose to offer it again next year.

For more information, call Morris at 903-586-9161.