Searcy District Court

Increased penalties coming to Searcy

After February 1, persons issued a ticket for speeding can expect to pay bigger fines and persons convicted of writing
hot checks can expect tougher penalties in Searcy District Court.
   The increased fines and penalties are part of several policy. changes announced Tuesday by District Judge Phil Shoffner.
   Shoffner said the revision of the fines assessed for moving traffic violations came about as the result of a survey of the fine
schedules of other courts around the state which he said revealed that the Searcy/White County fines were somewhat lower
than other courts. Therefore, after February 1, Shoffner said that the cost of a speeding ticket will increase from
$110 for the county and $115 for the city to $145.
   Additionally, a person convicted of speeding above 90 miles per hour, but less than 100 miles per hour will be fined $175
and will be required to take a defensive driving course. A person convicted of speeding in excess of 100 mph will be fined
the maximum of $250, will be required to take the defensive driving course, and will receive at least a 30 day suspension of
his driving privileges.
   A second policy change was in regard to hot check convictions. Shoffner said that persons convicted of passing hot checks,
either as a subsequent offense or by having other convictions in the state, will be sentenced to jail for some period in addition to
the usual fines, work release and supervised probation.
   Shoffner said he was concerned that some persons repeatedly convicted of hot check violations never face the full
consequences of a conviction.
   Therefore, under the new policy, he said violators would still have to pay the fines and restitution, as well as go to jail.
   He also announced that as a result. of the growth of the probation department, Denny Bishop has been placed in charge of the
department on a full-time basis.
   In this capacity, Shoffner said Bishop will help to ensure that persons who received supervised probation are complying with
what the court has ordered that person to do, and if not, to apply the necessary enforcement to get them to comply.
   One part of Bishop's expanded duties will be to spend more time visiting the residences and places of employment of
probationers, according Shoffner.
   He said this should help avoid the warrant process and will increase fees that will be paid and ultimately will reduce the likelihood
that the probationer will be back in court charged with additional crimes.
   Shoffner concluded by stating that the district court collected in excess of $1 million for the state and county in 2002.
   The judge described the accomplishment as a first and gave credit to the hard work of the sheriff's department, the clerks, and
the probation department.