ST. LOUIS (AP) - St. Louis is giving back $5.6 million to motorists who paid red-light camera tickets since early last year.
The city announced the give-back program on Wednesday. It applies to red-light camera tickets paid between Feb. 11, 2014, and Aug. 19 of this year. More than 56,000 people paid $100 fines for those violations.
The decision follows a Missouri Supreme Court ruling on Aug. 19 that struck down the city’s red-light camera ordinance, along with a red-light camera ordinance in St. Peters and a speeding camera law in Moline Acres.
In St. Louis’ case, the Supreme Court found the city’s red-light ordinance unconstitutional because it shifted the burden to the defendant to prove another person was operating the vehicle.
The city of St. Louis immediately halted the program after the ruling and dismissed pending cases.
St. Louis officials say those who paid the fine will receive a check in the mail within 15 business days. Those who believe they are due a check but don’t get one will need to appear at the Municipal Court with photo identification.
Drivers who paid red-light camera tickets before Feb. 11, 2014, are eligible for a class-action settlement that amounted to about $20 per ticket.
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