Warrant resolution event in St. Paul brings many peace of mind

Jimmie Glover looked mighty relieved Saturday afternoon.

The St. Paul man emerged from Washington Technology Magnet School in St. Paul after resolving an old DWI charge that had long weighed on him. "I was nervous to drive that I'd be pulled over, I was nervous to be outside," he said. "I'm not nervous anymore."

Glover and hundreds of others with outstanding misdemeanor warrants participated at the Warrant Resolution Day sponsored by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), NAACP Minneapolis and Pueblos de Lucha y Esperanza, as well as Hennepin, Ramsey, Dakota and Washington counties, the St. Paul City Attorney's Office and the Minnesota judicial branch.

Dubbed a "courtroom in a box," the concept brings the criminal justice system to people's neighborhoods — in this case, St. Paul's East Side. The program targets those with pending minor offenses. Sometimes misdemeanors remain unresolved, possibly due to not being able to take time off work, inadequate child care or anxiety navigating the court system. But if the misdemeanor continues to linger on someone's record, it could prevent them from getting a job or leasing an apartment.

Defense attorneys, judges and court reporters were on hand Saturday to help reach deals with prosecutors, arrange for payment of fees, set court dates or quash warrants issued from across the state.

Those with felony warrants were turned away at the door.

"People miss court because they have jobs, they don't have child care, any number of reasons," said Ramsey County Judge Nicole Starr, who took part in the proceedings Saturday. "This is a way to get them to solve minor legal issues. I hate to think there are people out there stuck and not living their lives."

In Ramsey County, there are about 9,800 outstanding warrants, and 6,500 in Dakota County. In St. Paul, there are 3,000 warrants outstanding for misdemeanors alone.

"This is a way to build trust with the community, to say, 'We're an honest dealer and part of the community,' " Starr said. "In a perfect world, we wouldn't need a Warrant Resolution Day."

Counties in the metro area have held similar events in recent years. Saturday's event was advertised on social media, community radio stations and elsewhere. The event Saturday featured a children's play area, lunch and refreshments at a location on the bus line and with plenty of parking. By 1 p.m., close to 600 people arrived outside the school.

The idea is to "bring down the level of tension and fear in people," said Elizer Darris of ACLU Minnesota.

Heather Kendall, Ramsey County District Court administrator, said people not showing up for their court dates is a huge challenge. Often a warrant is issued and fines build up.

The cascading series of fines and imprisonment for minor offenses serves as a cog in the country's burgeoning prison population, according to the ACLU. The number of people across the country in jails and prisons has increased 700% since 1970, the organization claims, noting that incarceration costs taxpayers about $80 billion a year.

Kendall says the court system is looking at new ways, such as texting court dates, to reach people, beyond sending letters in the mail. Resolution days for misdemeanors are another form of outreach.

"This is a way for us to step in and do triage," said St. Paul City Attorney Lyndsey Olson. "We want to resolve the issue, not let people off the hook, but maybe help them avoid jail."

Several people interviewed Saturday said they faced the hard choice of paying a spiraling misdemeanor fine or spending money on rent and groceries.

"Sometimes people skipped a court date because they never knew about a ticket," Kendall said. "The court system is grappling with how to reach these folks."

In some cases, people in poverty move around a lot, or they're homeless, and court notices get lost and go unanswered.

Robert Gee of St. Paul said he decided to attend the event Saturday to clear up a warrant for petty theft. Gee, who lives in his car, said he was initially skeptical: "I thought it was a scam. I was scared."

The police presence on Saturday was minimal, nor were there any squad cars lingering as people lined up outside the school. Darris said the presence of police, especially among communities of color, "is a huge deterrent for some people."

"There's a huge trust barrier there and a lack of trust in law enforcement," said Darris. "We want people to come out of the shadows and reconnect with their lives."

Janet Moore • 612-673-7752