Agency to Collect Court Debt for Township

West Orange is buckling down on collecting outstanding court debt after the state issued new guidelines.

The township contracted an outside agency, TaxServ Capital Services NJ, LLC, to aggressively begin collecting delinquent fines.

"In these economic times it is critical to collect all outstanding obligations that are due to the township," said John Gross, director of finance.

Fines include motor vehicle violations, ordinance violations, disorderly persons offenses and petty disorderly person offenses.

Tax Serv, though, will charge an additional administrative fee of 18 percent to an individual's debt amount.

Officials said the collection will begin in the next couple weeks and urged residents with outstanding fines to pay as soon as possible to avoid additional fees.

"I strongly encourage anyone who owes municipal fines to pay immediately and avoid the collection fee which will be added when the private vendor begins collection efforts," Mayor Robert Parisi said in a release. "In these difficult economic times, people who incur fines must pay them or face collection efforts. This is a question of basic fairness to all residents and people who do business in the township."

Payments can be made by mail or in person to the municipal court on 60 Main Street. Payments by mail must be in the form of a certified check or money order. No cash. Parking tickets may also be paid online on the New Jersey Courts online payment system at http://www.njmcdirect.com.