Ability to Pay

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State Statute Description/Statute Name Statutory language Level of offense Definition of ability to pay Timeline Burden of proof Method of determination Mandatory Remedies if unable to pay
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Maine Me. Rev. Stat. tit 17-A §1807(7) Conditions of probation

7. Electronic monitoring and substance testing fees; determination of amount by court; failure to pay; use of fees. Upon the request of the Department of Corrections, the court shall attach as

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a condition of probation that the person pay, through the department, an electronic monitoring fee, a substance testing fee or both, as determined by the court, for the term of probation. In determining the amount of the fees, the court shall take into account the financial resources of the person and the nature of the burden the payment imposes. A person may not be sentenced to imprisonment without probation solely for the reason the person is not able to pay the fees. 

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Financial resources and nature of burden

Before imposition of fine or fee Not provided for Not provided for Yes

Reduced fine

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Maine Me. R. of Unified Crim. P. 44(b) Right to and Assignment of Counsel

(b) Determination of Indigency. The court shall determine whether a defendant has sufficient means with which to employ counsel and in making such determination may examine the defendant under oath concerning

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the defendant's financial resources. A defendant does not have sufficient means with which to employ counsel if the defendant's lack of resources effectively prevents the defendant from retaining the services of competent counsel. In making its determination the court shall consider the following factors: the defendant's income, the defendant's credit standing, the availability and convertibility of any assets owned by the defendant, the living expenses of the defendant and the defendant's dependents, the defendant's outstanding obligations, the financial resources of the defendant's parents if the defendant is an unemancipated minor residing with his or her parents, and the cost of retaining the services of competent counsel.

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sufficient means with which to employ counsel

Before imposition of fine or fee Not provided for Determined by judge after hearing Yes

Court appointed counsel free of costs

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Oregon Or. Rev. Stat. § 161.645 Ability to pay -- prior to imposition of fine
In determining whether to impose a fine and its amount, the court shall consider: (1) The financial resources of the defendant and the burden that payment of a fine will impose,
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with due regard to the other obligations of the defendant; and (2) The ability of the defendant to pay a fine on an installment basis or on other conditions to be fixed by the court. [1971 c.743 §78]
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(1) The financial resources of the defendant and the burden that payment of a fine will impose, with due regard to the other obligations of the defendant; and
(2) The

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ability of the defendant to pay a fine on an installment basis or on other conditions to be fixed by the court. [1971 c.743 §78]

Before imposition of fine or fee Not provided for Not provided for Yes

Payment plan

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Oregon Or. Rev. Stat. § 179.640 Determination of ability to pay; rules; financial information; notice; order; hearing; appeal.

(1)(a) The Department of Corrections and the Oregon Health Authority shall establish rules for determining ability to pay for persons in their respective institutions. The rules adopted by each agency

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shall require, in addition to other relevant factors, consideration of the personal estate, the person’s need for funds for personal support after release, and the availability of third-party benefits such as, but not limited to, Medicare or private insurance. Each agency may also consider the probable length of stay at the state institution. Nothing in this section requires the Department of Corrections to investigate a person’s ability to pay or to issue an ability-to-pay order. (b) When adopting rules under paragraph (a) of this subsection, the Department of Corrections shall consider the person’s needs for funds to pay for the support of the person’s children and to pay any monetary obligations imposed on the person as a result of the person’s conviction.

(2) In determining a person’s ability to pay, none of the agencies may consider as part of the personal estate of the person or the decedent’s estate: (a) Any assets received by or owing to the person and the personal estate of the person, or the decedent’s estate, as compensation from the state for injury, death or, if the collection is being made by the Department of Corrections, the false imprisonment of the person that occurred when the person was in a state institution listed in ORS 179.321 (Responsibility to supervise state institutions) and for which the state admits liability or is found liable through adjudication; and (b) Any real or personal property that the person or an authorized representative of the person can demonstrate was purchased solely with assets referred to in paragraph (a) of this subsection or partially with such assets, to the extent such assets were used in the purchase.

(3) A person and the authorized representative of the person, if any, shall provide all financial information requested by the agency that is necessary to determine the person’s ability to pay. To determine ability to pay, the agency may use any information available to the agency, including information provided by the Department of Revenue from personal income tax returns pursuant to ORS 314.840 (Disclosure of information). Upon request, the Department of Revenue shall release copies of tax returns to the agency. When the person or the person’s authorized representative fails to provide evidence to demonstrate an inability to pay full cost of care, the agency may determine the person has the ability to pay the full cost of care.

(4) The agency shall provide actual notice to the person and any authorized representative, if known to the agency, of its determination by issuing an ability-to-pay order. The order shall state the person’s full liability and the person’s determined ability to pay. Actual notice means receipt by the person and the authorized representative of notice. The notice shall include a copy of the ability-to-pay order, a description of the person’s appeal rights and the date upon which appeal rights terminate and state the address where a request for hearing may be mailed or delivered. At any time, the agency may reissue an ability-to-pay order to notify an authorized representative as provided by ORS 179.653 (Unpaid costs as lien on property) (4).

(5) At any time during the person’s stay at the state institution or within 36 months from the date the person is released, if the agency receives new financial information that shows a change in the person’s financial circumstances, the agency shall consider the changed circumstances and issue a new ability-to-pay order.

(6) Orders issued after the person is released may not require the person to make payments toward the cost of care for more than 36 consecutive months following release. However, the agency may collect beyond the 36-month period any payments that became due but were not paid within the 36 months following release. Any remaining balance of full cost of care shall be collected as provided in ORS 179.740 (Collection from estates).

(7) Notwithstanding ORS 183.315 (Application of provisions of chapter to certain agencies) (5), if a person or authorized representative disagrees with any ability-to-pay order issued pursuant to this section, the person or authorized representative may request a contested case hearing. To the extent practical, the hearing will be held at a location convenient to the person or the authorized representative. The request must be postmarked within 60 days from the date of the mailing of the ability-to-pay order. If the person or the authorized representative makes a timely request for a contested case hearing, the hearing and any appeal of the final hearing order shall be governed by ORS 183.413 (Notice to parties before hearing of rights and procedure) to 183.497 (Awarding costs and attorney fees when finding for petitioner). If the person or the authorized representative fails to make a timely request for a contested case hearing, the ability-to-pay order shall be final and not subject to judicial review, except as subsequently modified by the agency as provided in subsection (5) of this section.

(8) On appeal, regardless of other information presented, payment of the full cost of care may be ordered if the person or the authorized representative refuses to produce financial information that the Hearings Officer or administrative law judge determines is relevant and must be produced. [1959 c.652 §4; 1961 c.501 §2; 1967 c.549 §4; 1973 c.806 §3a; 1973 c.823 §§123,159; 1989 c.348 §3; 1997 c.170 §15; 1999 c.159 §2; 2001 c.487 §3; 2003 c.75 §86; 2009 c.595 §149; 2013 c.36 §59; 2015 c.348 §26]

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The rules adopted by each agency shall require, in addition to other relevant factors, consideration of the personal estate, the person’s need for funds for personal support after release, and

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the availability of third-party benefits such as, but not limited to, Medicare or private insurance. Each agency may also consider the probable length of stay at the state institution. Nothing in this section requires the Department of Corrections to investigate a person’s ability to pay or to issue an ability-to-pay order. (b) When adopting rules under paragraph (a) of this subsection, the Department of Corrections shall consider the person’s needs for funds to pay for the support of the person’s children and to pay any monetary obligations imposed on the person as a result of the person’s conviction.

Before imposition of fine or fee Not provided for Administrative decision Yes

N/A

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Oregon Or. Rev. Stat. § 151.487(1),(4) Ability to pay; effect

(1) If in determining that a person is financially eligible for appointed counsel under ORS 151.485, the court finds that the person has financial resources that enable the person to pay in

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full or in part the administrative costs of determining the eligibility of the person and the costs of the legal and other services to be provided at state expense that are related to the provision of appointed counsel, the court shall enter a limited judgment requiring that the person pay to the Public Defense Services Account established by ORS 151.225, through the clerk of the court, the amount that it finds the person is able to pay without creating substantial hardship in providing basic economic necessities to the person or the person's dependent family. The amount that a court may require the person to pay is subject to the guidelines and procedures issued by the Public Defense Services Commission as provided in subsection (4) of this section.

(4) The commission shall promulgate and issue guidelines and procedures: (a) For the determination of persons provided with appointed counsel who have some financial resources to pay in full or in part the administrative, legal and other costs under subsection (1) of this section; and (b) Regarding the amounts persons may be required to pay by a court under subsection (1) of this section.

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Amount that it finds the person is able to pay without creating substantial hardship in providing basic economic necessities to the person or the person's dependent family.

Before imposition of fine or fee Not provided for Administrative decision Yes

None specified