I have never received anything telling me that I owe money; so I must not have any court-ordered debt, right?

Absolutely not! People move; paperwork gets lost in the mail; and addresses get written down incorrectly all the time. Just because you haven’t heard anything, doesn’t mean that you’re in the clear. Remember, if you have had any involvement with the criminal justice system, especially if you have a conviction, you were most likely ordered to pay money of some kind at some point. If you don’t take steps to find out about and take care of your debt, there could be serious consequences.

Even if you are 100% positive that you have paid off your debt entirely, mistakes can be made. Your payments may not have been properly recorded, or your name could be attached to someone else’s debt! It is better to check and be safe than to assume and be sorry.