Under R.S. 32:57(D) the Mayor’s Court may impose an additional penalty in an amount not to exceed the amount of the fine for the original violation for offenders who fail to pay their fine by mail in advance of the hearing and who fail to appear at the time and date indicated on the citation.
In order to ensure that the court does not exceed the threshold established in R.S. 32:57(D), it should consider establishing a fee schedule for failure to appear fee based upon the amount of the fine for the violation contained in a citation. The municipality through ordinance, establishes the fine for violations of municipal ordinances, not to exceed $500. See R.S. 33:362(A)(2)(b).
In regard to the $6 mailing cost, a Mayor’s Court is limited by R.S. 33:441(A) to imposing a maximum of $30 in court costs, in addition to other specific mandatory costs which the court is charged by specific statutes to levy and collect on behalf of other entities. Therefore, the municipality may recover its mailing costs, but must do so within the $30 court cost limit.
Louisiana Legislative Auditor website: 07/19/2025 01:47:57 AM
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