How should a Court Revenue Assistant handle a request for reimbursement when a fee was paid twice by mistake?

• A. Ignore duplicate payment.
• B. Verify double payment, process a refund or credit per policy, and provide receipt documentation.
• C. Apply to future fees only.
• D. Refund the entire amount automatically.

Answer: (B)

When a fee is paid twice by mistake, the key is to handle it with accuracy and accountability. Start by verifying that two payments were indeed received for the same fee and match them to the requester’s account. Then, follow the established policy to issue a refund or a credit, and always provide documentation such as a receipt or transaction note that shows the reimbursement details. This creates a clear record for both the organization and the customer and ensures the reimbursement goes through the correct method, whether back to the original payment source or as a credit toward future fees, as defined by policy. After processing, confirm the outcome with the requester and keep the accounting reconciled.

Why the other options aren’t appropriate: ignoring the duplicate payment leaves a financial discrepancy unresolved; applying the amount only to future fees does not address the current overpayment; and refunding the entire amount automatically without verifying details or following policy could misallocate funds or violate procedures.