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Berny Schiff CPA, Collections Financial Analyst

Sandra Mabbett, Judicial Information Analyst

Today’s SessionToday’s Session

• What is OCA?

• Collection Improvement Program

• Court Collection Reporting System– Collecting Data– Using the Data

• Other Justice Court Data on Website

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Today’s SessionToday’s Session

• Judicial Council - Monthly Court Activity Reports

• Judicial System Directory

• Running Justice Court Activity Reports

• Changes in Case Categories

• Form Changes 09/01/13

• Q & A3

Texas Office of Court Texas Office of Court AdministrationAdministration

• State Agency• Created in 1977• Chief Justice - Texas Supreme

Court• Provides Administrative &

Technical Support• Serves Approximately 2,700

Courts in the State• (512) 463-1625

Collection Improvement ProgramCollection Improvement Program

• Set of Principles and Processes designed to assist cities and counties with collecting court costs, fees, and fines when payment is not made immediately.

• Assist with compliance

of court orders.

Collection Improvement ProgramCollection Improvement Program“Program Classifications”

• Mandatory (Texas CCP Article 103.0033)– County Pop 50K, City Pop 100K– 90 Implemented

• Voluntary– 66 Cities and 23 counties fully or partially

implemented

Collection Improvement ProgramCollection Improvement Program“Program Training”

• Developing and designing a program• The application/contact information process• Conducting an effective interview• Determining the appropriate payment schedule• Defendant communication

– Face to face communications– Phone techniques– Effective notices– Dealing with difficult defendants– Skip tracing strategies and techniques

Cynthia Montes

Using Your CCRS DataUsing Your CCRS Data(Court Collection Reporting System)(Court Collection Reporting System)

Court Collection Reporting SystemCourt Collection Reporting System

((CCRSCCRS))

10www.collections.courts.state.tx.us/loginwww.collections.courts.state.tx.us/login

Internet Explorer

What is being reported in the What is being reported in the CCRS?CCRS?

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Two Required Reports:

• OCA Monthly Collections Report – gathers revenue data related to collections

• Annual Financial Information Report – gathers expenses related to the Collection Improvement Program

What is being reported in the CCRS?What is being reported in the CCRS?OCA OCA MonthlyMonthly Collections Report Collections Report

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Number of New Cases

OCA OCA MonthlyMonthly Collections Report Collections Report (cont.)(cont.)

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Court Costs and Fees

OCA OCA MonthlyMonthly Collections Report Collections Report (cont.)(cont.)

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Court Costs and Fees: Adjustments

OCA OCA MonthlyMonthly Collections Report Collections Report (cont.)(cont.)

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Court Costs and Fees: Aging Schedule

AnnualAnnual Financial Information Report Financial Information Report

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Employee Information

AnnualAnnual Financial Information Report Financial Information Report

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Other Information

AnnualAnnual Financial Information Report Financial Information Report

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Jail Information

CCRSCCRS

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“Telling a Story”

Information

The “Right” Data

CCRSCCRS

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•Correct Data (Data Entry and Computations)

•Definition (Includes and Excludes)

•Usage (Footnoting Differences)

The “Right” Data

CCRSCCRS

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•Dictionary: Knowledge communicated or received concerning a particular fact or circumstance

Information

CCRSCCRS

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CCRSCCRS

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CCRS Data / Information

++Institutional Knowledge

“Telling a Story”

Institutional KnowledgeInstitutional Knowledge

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•Find the knowledgeable staff member(s)

•Ask the “right” question(s)

Institutional KnowledgeInstitutional Knowledge

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• From the Judge:“The citations that were coming from the toll road are no longer coming to my court.”

CCRSCCRS

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Institutional KnowledgeInstitutional Knowledge

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•From the Collector:“We are getting a large number of defendants with multiple cases.”

CCRSCCRS

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Return On Return On ExpenditureExpenditure (ROE) (ROE)

What is the Return on Expenditure?

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• It is a cost/benefit analysis provided to demonstrate the value of the collection process and the Collection Improvement Program

• It uses the jurisdiction’s own data to show that the costs do not exceed the benefit

• Collections - Dollars paid by defendants; it does not include jail credits, community service credits, and waivers.

Return On Return On ExpenditureExpenditure (ROE) (ROE)

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FY 2012Column1

Total Collections $226,643.06Less Amount Collected Immediately (Est. 27.2%) $61,646.91Payment Plan Collections $164,996.15*Less Estimated to State (Est. 58% of Court Costs & Fees) $39,873.95 Net Payment Plan Collections to Jurisdiction $125,122.20 Collection Expenditures $26,433.49Return on Expenditure (ROE) $4.73* Additional calculations not shown

Return On Return On ExpenditureExpenditure (ROE) (ROE)

How does our jurisdiction compare with others?

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• Uses the jurisdiction’s reported information:– Annual Financial Information (for Costs/Expenditures)– OCA Monthly Collections Report (for Collections)

• The Amount Collected Immediately varies:– Uses the percentage as determined by the Post

Implementation Rate Review (Audit Section)

or– Uses the average of the Post Implementation Rate

Review percentage (Currently 27.2%)

Return On Return On ExpenditureExpenditure (ROE) (ROE)

How does our jurisdiction compare with others?

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Differences that make ROE comparisons difficult if not impossible:• Case Type • Technology

• Volume • Program Structure

• Resources • Economy

• Salary Costs • Geography

• Fringe Benefits (Health Benefits)

Return On Return On ExpenditureExpenditure (ROE) (ROE)

Is the ROE pre or post implementation?

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• ROE is post implementation

• ROE is a cost/benefit analysis for the latest year

• ROE compares what was spent to what was collected via payment plans

Future: In-Depth Analysis Future: In-Depth Analysis

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• Quantitative trends: a historical examination of amounts assessed, collected, and credited.

• Age of collections: a historical examination of the age of amounts collected and importance of early payment or other satisfaction.

• Impact of satisfying assessments by credits given for: jail time served (and associated jail costs), community service performed, and waivers have on collections.

Future: In-Depth Analysis Future: In-Depth Analysis

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Future: In-Depth Analysis Future: In-Depth Analysis

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Future: In-Depth Analysis Future: In-Depth Analysis

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Collection Improvement ProgramCollection Improvement Programwww.courts.state.tx.us/oca/collections/collectiowww.courts.state.tx.us/oca/collections/collections.aspns.asp

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Collection Improvement ProgramCollection Improvement Programwww.courts.state.tx.us/oca/collections/collectiowww.courts.state.tx.us/oca/collections/collections.aspns.asp

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Collection Program Survey FormCollection Program Survey Form

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Components - CIPComponents - CIP

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CIP Audit WebpagesCIP Audit Webpageshttp://www.courts.state.tx.us/oca/collections/cipaudithome.asp

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CIP Model FlowchartCIP Model Flowchart

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CIP Reporting RequirementsCIP Reporting Requirements

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CIP Software Providers’ Reporting CIP Software Providers’ Reporting RequirementsRequirements

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Evaluating Collections SoftwareEvaluating Collections Software

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Justice Court Convictions Court Cost ChartJustice Court Convictions Court Cost ChartCurrentCurrent

www.txcourts.gov/oca/pdf/JusticeCourtConvictiowww.txcourts.gov/oca/pdf/JusticeCourtConvictionsCourtCostChart.pdfnsCourtCostChart.pdf

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Justice Court Convictions Court Cost ChartJustice Court Convictions Court Cost ChartHistoricalHistorical

www.txcourts.gov/oca/pdf/JusticeCourtConvictiowww.txcourts.gov/oca/pdf/JusticeCourtConvictionsCourtCostChart2010.pdfnsCourtCostChart2010.pdf

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Withdrawing Funds from Inmate Trust Withdrawing Funds from Inmate Trust Accounts Accounts

www.courts.state.tx.us/oca/collections/list_instr.awww.courts.state.tx.us/oca/collections/list_instr.aspsp

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www.courts.state.tx.us

Court Structure of TexasCourt Structure of Texaswww.courts.state.tx.uswww.courts.state.tx.us

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Precinct Maps Precinct Maps www.courts.state.tx.us/courts/jpmaps.aspwww.courts.state.tx.us/courts/jpmaps.asp

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Judicial Qualifications Judicial Qualifications www.txcourts.gov/oca/jcc/docs/JudgeQualificatiowww.txcourts.gov/oca/jcc/docs/JudgeQualifications08.pdfns08.pdf

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Judicial Ethics Judicial Ethics www.txcourts.gov/judethics/judethics-home.www.txcourts.gov/judethics/judethics-home.aspasp

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Judicial Ethics Judicial Ethics

www.txcourts.gov/judethics/judethics-home.asp

Official Uniform Model Jury Summons Official Uniform Model Jury Summons and Questionnaire and Questionnaire

www.courts.state.tx.us/pubs/jsummons.asp

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OCA – Other Services to Justice CourtsOCA – Other Services to Justice Courts

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• Requests for Attorney General’s Opinions

• State Legislative – OCA:– Provides input for proposed legislation

affecting the Judicial Branch of State Government

– Provides input on proposed legislation to the potentially affected courts so possible feedback can be provide back to the State Legislature

– Summarizes enacted legislation and how the legislation might affect the courts

OCA – Other Services to Justice CourtsOCA – Other Services to Justice Courts

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• Provides training on Capias Pro Fine

• Assists courts in determining records retention schedules

• Helps courts respond to requests for records, www.courts.state.tx.us/rules/openrecstate.asp

• Provides technical legal assistance when appropriate

QuestionsQuestions

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?Manager: Jim.lehman@txcourts.govJim.lehman@txcourts.gov, 512-936-0991

Analyst: berny.schiff@txcourts.govberny.schiff@txcourts.gov, 512-936-7557

North: cynthia.montes@txcourts.govcynthia.montes@txcourts.gov, 940-349-2818

Houston: karolyn.williams@txcourts.govkarolyn.williams@txcourts.gov, 713-314-5778

Central: daphne.webber@txcourts.govdaphne.webber@txcourts.gov, 512-936-7555

East: chad.graff@txcourts.govchad.graff@txcourts.gov, 903-216-4308

South: aaron.castillo@txcourts.govaaron.castillo@txcourts.gov, 956-973-7830