Judge: New Miami ‘speeders’ get $3.4M after years-long lawsuit

A Butler County judge has ruled that New Miami owes $3 million to those who paid fines in the village’s speed camera program that was later ruled unconstitutional.

The award includes $423,653 in interest, with a 10-year payout schedule

Judge Michael Oster issued his final appealable order this morning that includes:

• Full $3 million restitution for the estimated 33,000 speeders,

• Interest that starts accruing today for a total of $423,653,

• Speeders’ attorneys fees totalling $1.2 million that comes out of the $3 million plus 33 percent interest on the accrued interest.

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New Miami has paid its legal team $359,105 so far and that taxpayer-paid bill will continue to grow because New Miami will now take the case to the 12th District Court of Appeals. Insurance doesn’t cover this type of litigation.

The speeders will also appeal the 10-year repayment.

The speeders filed suit in 2013, and retired Judge Michael Sage declared the stationary speed camera program unconstitutional in 2014.

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