Hennepin County will now schedule appointments with hearing officers on Saturday mornings for court customers to resolve tickets.

The hearings will be held at the Hennepin County Public Safety Facility, 401 4th Av. S. in downtown Minneapolis, from 8 a.m. to noon on the second Saturday of each month. The new Saturday hearings will begin April 26.

Individuals who receive a payable ticket in Hennepin County have the option to pay a fine or to see a hearing officer to discuss payment options or dispute the ticket.

Appointments continue to be available Monday through Friday at four additional Hennepin County District Court locations. To make an appointment with a hearing officer, call 612-348-2040 between 8 a.m. and 4:15 p.m. Monday through Friday. Walk-ins will not be accepted on Saturdays.

"Expanding the hours of the Hearing Office provides people with the opportunity to have the court consider their case without having to take time off from work," said Mark Thompson, administrator for the Fourth Judicial District Administrator. "In 2013, hearing officers conducted administrative hearings on 159,015 citations with 192,387 charges in Hennepin County. Offering Saturday morning appointments to the citizens of Hennepin County increases their access to justice."

Restorative justice is available to individuals unable to pay fines. A referral to the Hennepin County Sentence to Service program provides court customers with the opportunity to "work off" the fine in lieu of cash payment.

For more information, visit the Fourth Judicial District website's "tickets and fines" section.

David Chanen • 612-673-4465