About 15,000 drivers ticketed under the now-outlawed PhotoCop red-light enforcement program in Minneapolis may see their refunds in March.
Minneapolis' PhotoCop refund plan gets federal judge's approval
February 20, 2013 at 6:26PM
That's the estimate of one of the attorneys who negotiated the class-action settlement with the city and other parties, which came after a judge granted preliminary approval of the deal on Tuesday.
Attorney Marshall Tanick said that the $2.6 million settlement should provide the average ticketed driver with a refund of more than $150. Their records also will be expunged of their PhotoCop convictions, and their insurance companies will be notified.
U.S. District Judge Michael J. Davis approved the proposal. Most of the refund cost will be split by the city and state, with Hennepin County providing $45,000, Tanick said. Notice of the settlement is to be mailed to the last known address of affected drivers by Jan. 15.
The city's photo surveillance program used images of vehicles that ran red lights to cite the owner of the vehicle. The Minnesota Supreme Court last year affirmed a lower court ruling that holding the owner of a vehicle responsible for the actions of whoever was driving it was unconstitutional.
STEVE BRANDT
about the writer
From small businesses to giants like Target, retailers are benefitting from the $10 billion industry for South Korean pop music, including its revival of physical album sales.
