Ohio city's court of clerks looks to AG for collection help

Erie County, Ohio, hopes to recoup "thousands" of dollars in unpaid court fees with the help of Ohio attorney general Mike DeWine, the Sandusky Register reports. Clerk of courts Luvada Wilson feels confident that with help from DeWine's office, her debt collection tactics will be more effective than the previous regime. "The Attorney General's office will be the clerk's ... collection agency," Wilson told the news source. "It's a good way to get the money into the county that's owed to us." Wilson took over for previous clerk of courts Barb Johnson in October following Johnson's passing. Wilson notes that in the 23 years that Johnson served, she never once attempted to collect delinquent funds. "I can't tell you why (she didn't do it)," Wilson told the media outlet. A pilot program is already underway, and Wilson believes that the funds collected could be used to purchase technology to upload court documents online, hire more employees to organize records or put toward staff raises. According to the Erie County website, prior to being appointed clerk of courts, Wilson served as bailiff for Common Pleas Judge Tygh Tone for five years.