Family outraged after $30 school lunches check explodes into $800 charge

LACEY, WA (KTRK) -- A family is outraged that their $30 bounced check for school lunches has ballooned into an $800 charge.

Dr. Christina Johnson-Conley's two children attend North Thurston High School in Lacey, WA, and eat lunch there every day. But last year, the family bounced a $30 lunch payment check. They just found out that their wages were garnished nearly $800.

The school district said it had no choice but to do everything to collect the money.

Courtney Schrieve, North Thurston Public Schools District spokesperson, told KOMO in Washington, "I can't account for fairness, but we do due diligence as a public entity to get her to pay and she chose not to, so after that we're accountable to the

taxpayers and we can't incur debt for people."

After letters from the district went unanswered over several months, the bill was sent to collections.

If no payment is made, the collections agency takes it to court after serving the papers in person. Johnson-Conley says that didn't happen.

David Grimm, owner of Grimm Collections of Tumwater, said, "If they were never served, they have an opportunity to appear in court and dispute the service. ... Oftentimes people just ignore those legal papers and it goes maybe right into the garbage can. And the court calendar is ticking away and they fail to appear for court."

The court case proceeds with attorney's fees, court costs, triple damage fees and filing fees. That is how $30 turns into $800. It's all signed by a judge to garnish your wages.