Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Municipal Court Collections topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Collection firm: texting campaign and fewer referrals produced higher municipal-court collections
Summary
Linebarger representative Sonia Gonzalez told the Del Rio council that total collections rose 26% despite a 68% drop in new referrals; the firm sent 20,746 text messages Apr–Dec 2025 at no cost to the city and emphasized that decisions to remove citation debts rest with the Finance Department and Municipal Court.
Sonia Gonzalez of Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson, LLP presented the firm’s delinquent municipal court fees and fines collection report to the Del Rio City Council on Feb. 10.
Gonzalez said the firm’s texting initiative, launched in April 2025 in coordination with the Del Rio Municipal Court, sent 20,746 text messages between April and December at no cost to the city because the firm absorbed the expense. She reported a 68% decrease in new referrals to the firm from June through December but said total collections increased by 26% compared with previously placed accounts. "Resolved cases may include not only payments collected but also community service completed, time served, or other court-approved alternatives that remove cases from outstanding records," Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez noted that newer accounts tend to be easier to collect and that she expects collections to increase further once new citations are referred. She also clarified the firm’s role: decisions regarding when to remove citation debts from the books rest with the Finance Department and the Court; the firm collects only on accounts that are referred to them and does not have oversight authority in those decisions.
Municipal Judge Kassandra Flores provided additional explanation on procedures for repeat offenders during the council discussion. The presentation referenced a 2015 U.S. Department of Justice memorandum encouraging municipalities to pursue alternatives to relying solely on fines and fees.
No formal action was taken on the presentation; councilmembers asked clarifying questions about the collection process and removal of accounts from the books.
