ST. LOUIS — If you have an outstanding bench warrant or old minor offense, they could be dismissed during the St. Louis Municipal Court amnesty program.
During the amnesty program, the court will forgive outstanding bench warrants without a cash bail requirement for charges stemming from City of St. Louis ordinances, excluding DUIs, leaving the scene of an accident and prostitution, according to a press release.
“We recognize that having an outstanding warrant on your record can create all sorts of barriers to accessing transportation and employment, which are essential to every person,” Mayor Lyda Krewson said in the release. “The last thing we should be doing is making it harder for individuals to get ahead. That’s why I’m grateful to the Municipal Court and its staff for offering this amnesty program.”
During the amnesty program, people will be able to pay their original fines and costs without penalty by speaking with a customer service representative on-site, the release said. Once the warrants have been resolved, they will get a new court date set on the same day or will be rescheduled on a new docket.
Those who have outstanding charges for driving while suspended or revoked, driving without proof of insurance, driving without the proper vehicle license or inspection certificate and who now have a valid license, proof of insurance, or vehicle registration, should bring those documents with them when they come to the customer service window, the release said. Payment plans for those cases that have fines assessed will be available during payment dockets.
Individuals who are financially unable to pay their fines may request alternative community service in lieu of payments, the release said. No one will be arrested in court during the amnesty program.
Judges, city counselors, and Municipal Court staff will work with those individuals to resolve their outstanding citations when reasonably possible, review older minor offenses for dismissal when appropriate and facilitate compliance with legal obligations and driver’s license restoration.
There is no processing fee to participate in the city’s amnesty program. Rescheduling a court date is also free. However, if an individual misses the re-assigned court date, the case will go back into warrant status and a bond will be posted.
The program runs Feb. 24-27 at the St. Louis Municipal Court building, located at 1520 Market Street. The court will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Feb. 24-26. On Feb. 27, there will be extended hours from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.
