St. Louis County FTA fees $825K class action settlement

St. Louis County will pay up to $825,000 as part of a class action lawsuit settlement to resolve claims it previously would charge unlawful failure-to-appear fees, or FTA fees, in violation of Missouri law.

The settlement benefits individuals who paid a warrant fee or failure-to-appear fee to St. Louis County between Oct. 27, 2012, and Dec. 4, 2020. There are around 11,000 individuals included under this class definition.

The St. Louis County municipal court is responsible for overseeing claims for traffic violations, minor drug or alcohol offenses, tax violations, truancy claims and problem property proceedings. 

According to a class action lawsuit, St. Louis County charged illegal municipal fees. Specifically, the plaintiffs challenged FTA fees charged to consumers who missed court proceedings. These fees allegedly violated Missouri law.

St. Louis County hasn’t admitted any wrongdoing but agreed to resolve the claims with a class action settlement. 

The exact settlement amount will depend on the number of claimants who participate, but could be around $825,000 after attorneys’ fees with full participation.

Under the terms of the FTA charge settlement, class members can collect a cash payment. The first 5,000 class members to file a claim with the settlement will receive payments of $75. Any remaining claims will result in $50 payments.

Other Missouri cities have reached similar settlements. 

After the killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, revealed the many fees charged by municipal courts, the city agreed to pay $1.7 million to resolve a class action lawsuit over failure to appear fees, warrant fees and letter fees, according to Arch City Defenders.

The deadline for exclusion and objection in the St. Louis County FTA fees settlement is June 30, 2022. 

The final approval hearing for the settlement is scheduled for Aug. 9, 2022.

The deadline to file a claim with the settlement is Jan. 25, 2023, but submitting a claim earlier could result in a higher payment.

Who’s Eligible

The settlement benefits individuals who paid a warrant fee or failure-to-appear fee to St. Louis County between Oct. 27, 2012, and Dec. 4, 2020. There are around 11,000 individuals included under this class definition.

Potential Award

Up to $75

Proof of Purchase

No proof of purchase applicable

Claim Form

NOTE: If you do not qualify for this settlement do NOT file a claim.

Remember: you are submitting your claim under penalty of perjury. You are also harming other eligible Class Members by submitting a fraudulent claim. If you’re unsure if you qualify, please read the FAQ section of the Settlement Administrator’s website to ensure you meet all standards (Top Class Actions is not a Settlement Administrator). If you don’t qualify for this settlement, check out our database of other open class action settlements you may be eligible for.

Claim Form Deadline

01/25/2023

Case Name

Cibulka, et al., v. St. Louis County, Case No. 17SL-CC04021, in the Circuit Court of the County of St. Louis State of Missouri

Final Hearing

08/09/2022

Settlement Website

FailureToAppearFeeClassAction.com

Claims Administrator

FTA Fee Class Action
c/o Atticus Administration
PO Box 64053
St. Paul, MN 55164
FTAFeeClassAction@atticusadmin.com
888-233-2228

Class Counsel

SCHULTZ & ASSOCIATES LLP

LAW OFFICES OF PHIL HORWITZ LLC

Defense Counsel

ST. LOUIS COUNTY COUNSELOR