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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Connecticut Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-56i(g) Pretrial drug education and community service program.
No person may be excluded from any such program for inability to pay such fee or cost, provided (1) such person files with the court an affidavit of indigency or
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inability to pay, (2) such indigency or inability to pay is confirmed by the Court Support Services Division, and (3) the court enters a finding thereof. The court may waive all or any portion of such fee depending on such person’s ability to pay. If the court finds that a person is indigent or unable to pay for a substance abuse treatment program, the costs of such program shall be paid from the pretrial account established under section 54-56k.
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indigency

Before imposition of fine or fee Burden on defendant to show inability to pay Not provided for Yes

costs of such program shall be paid from the pretrial account

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Connecticut Conn. Gen. Stat. § 17a-696(e) Order for suspension of prosecution and treatment for alcohol or drug dependency.

. . . (4) the accused person, unless such accused person is indigent, has paid to the clerk of the court an administration fee of twenty-five dollars.

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indigent

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

waiver of fee

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Connecticut Conn. Gen. Stat. § 17a-696(e) Order for suspension of prosecution and treatment for alcohol or drug dependency.

The accused person shall, unless indigent, pay the cost of treatment ordered under this section.

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indigent

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

waiver of cost of treatment

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Connecticut Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-56e(e) Accelerated pretrial rehabilitation

. . . No person may be excluded from such program for inability to pay such fee, provided (1) such person files with the court an affidavit of indigency or

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inability to pay, (2) such indigency or inability to pay is confirmed by the Court Support Services Division, and (3) the court enters a finding thereof.

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indigency

Before imposition of fine or fee Burden on defendant to show inability to pay Not provided for Yes

admission to program without paying fees

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Connecticut Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-56g(g) Pretrial alcohol education program (victim impact panel program fees)

. . . provided such organization shall offer a hardship waiver when it has determined that the imposition of a fee would pose an economic hardship for such person.

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economic hardship

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

hardship waiver

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Connecticut Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-56g(c) Pretrial alcohol education program

. . . No person may be excluded from either program for inability to pay such fee or cost, provided (1) such person files with the court an affidavit of

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indigency or inability to pay, (2) such indigency or inability to pay is confirmed by the Court Support Services Division, and (3) the court enters a finding thereof. If the court finds that a person is indigent or unable to pay for a treatment program, the costs of such program shall be paid from the pretrial account established under section 54-56k. If the court finds that a person is indigent or unable to pay for an intervention program, the court may waive all or any portion of the fee for such intervention program.

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indigency

Before imposition of fine or fee Burden on defendant to show inability to pay Not provided for Yes

costs of such program shall be paid from the pretrial account

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Connecticut Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-56j(f) Pretrial school violence prevention program.

. . . no student shall be excluded from such program for inability to pay such cost provided (1) the parent or guardian of such student files with the court

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an affidavit of indigency or inability to pay, and (2) the court enters a finding thereof.

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indigency

Before imposition of fine or fee Burden on defendant to show inability to pay Not provided for Yes

admission to program without paying fees

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Connecticut Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-125f(d) Pilot zero-tolerance drug supervision program.

. . . if the participant is determined to be indigent, based upon financial affidavits, the Board of Pardons and Paroles shall pay the cost of the test

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indigent, based upon financial affidavits

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

Department of Correction shall pay the cost

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Connecticut Conn. Gen. Stat. § 46b-38c(i) Pretrial family violence education program; fees.

. . . no person shall be excluded from such program for inability to pay any such fee, provided (1) the person files with the court an affidavit of indigency

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or inability to pay, and (2) the court enters a finding thereof

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indigency

Before imposition of fine or fee Burden on defendant to show inability to pay Not provided for Yes

admission to program without paying fees

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Connecticut Conn. Gen. Stat. § 18-100e(d) Pilot zero-tolerance drug supervision program (urinalysis fee)

(d) Any person who has submitted to a urinalysis drug test pursuant to subsection (c) of this section that produced a positive result may request that a second urinalysis drug

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test be administered, at such person’s expense, to confirm the results of the first test, except that if the participant is determined to be indigent, based upon financial affidavits, the Department of Correction shall pay the cost of the test. The second drug test shall be a urinalysis drug test, separate and independent of the initial test.

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indigent, based upon financial affidavits

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

Department of Correction shall pay the cost

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Connecticut Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-28(c) Authorized sentences.

. . . In determining the appropriate terms of financial restitution, the court shall consider: (A) The financial resources of the offender and the burden restitution will place on other

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obligations of the offender; (B) the offender’s ability to pay based on installments or other conditions; (C) the rehabilitative effect on the offender of the payment of restitution and the method of payment; and (D) other circumstances, including the financial burden and impact on the victim, that the court determines make the terms of restitution appropriate. If the court determines that the current financial resources of the offender or the offender’s current ability to pay based on installments or other conditions are such that no appropriate terms of restitution can be determined, the court may forego setting such terms.

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current financial resources of the offender or the offender’s current ability to pay based on installments or other conditions are such that no appropriate terms of restitution can be determined

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

The court may forgo setting restitution

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Connecticut Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-39c(b) Community service labor program.

. . . no person may be excluded from such program for inability to pay such fee, provided (1) such person files with the court an affidavit of indigency or

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inability to pay, (2) such indigency is confirmed by the Court Support Services Division, and (3) the court enters a finding thereof.

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indigency

Before imposition of fine or fee Burden on defendant to show inability to pay Not provided for Yes

admission to program without paying fees

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Washington Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 10.101.020 Determination of indigency — Provisional appointment — Promissory note

(1) A determination of indigency shall be made for all persons wishing the appointment of counsel in criminal, juvenile, involuntary commitment, and dependency cases, and any other case where the right

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to counsel attaches. The court or its designee shall determine whether the person is indigent pursuant to the standards set forth in this chapter.

(2) In making the determination of indigency, the court shall also consider the anticipated length and complexity of the proceedings and the usual and customary charges of an attorney in the community for rendering services, and any other circumstances presented to the court which are relevant to the issue of indigency. The appointment of counsel shall not be denied to the person because the person’s friends or relatives, other than a spouse who was not the victim of any offense or offenses allegedly committed by the person, have resources adequate to retain counsel, or because the person has posted or is capable of posting bond.

(3) The determination of indigency shall be made upon the defendant’s initial contact with the court or at the earliest time circumstances permit. The court or its designee shall keep a written record of the determination of indigency. Any information given by the accused under this section or sections shall be confidential and shall not be available for use by the prosecution in the pending case.

(4) If a determination of eligibility cannot be made before the time when the first services are to be rendered, the court shall appoint an attorney on a provisional basis. If the court subsequently determines that the person receiving the services is ineligible, the court shall notify the person of the termination of services, subject to court-ordered reinstatement.

(5) All persons determined to be indigent and able to contribute, shall be required to execute a promissory note at the time counsel is appointed. The person shall be informed whether payment shall be made in the form of a lump sum payment or periodic payments. The payment and payment schedule must be set forth in writing. The person receiving the appointment of counsel shall also sign an affidavit swearing under penalty of perjury that all income and assets reported are complete and accurate. In addition, the person must swear in the affidavit to immediately report any change in financial status to the court.

(6) The office or individual charged by the court to make the determination of indigency shall provide a written report and opinion as to indigency on a form prescribed by the office of public defense, based on information obtained from the defendant and subject to verification. The form shall include information necessary to provide a basis for making a determination with respect to indigency as provided by this chapter.

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Indigent - court shall also consider the anticipated length and complexity of the proceedings and the usual and customary charges of an attorney in the community for rendering services, and any other

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circumstances presented to the court which are relevant to the issue of indigency.

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

N/A

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Washington Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 9.94A.777(1) Legal financial obligations — Defendants with mental health conditions

Before imposing any legal financial obligations upon a defendant who suffers from a mental health condition, other than restitution or the victim penalty assessment under RCW 7.68.035, a judge must

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first determine that the defendant, under the terms of this section, has the means to pay such additional sums.

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means to pay - for defendants who suffer from mental conditions ONLY.

Before imposition of fine or fee Not provided for Not provided for Yes Not provided for
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Washington Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 9.94A.760(1),(3) Legal financial obligations

(1) Whenever a person is convicted in superior court, the court may order the payment of a legal financial obligation as part of the sentence. The court may not order

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an offender to pay costs as described in RCW 10.01.160 if the court finds that the offender at the time of sentencing is indigent as defined in RCW 10.101.010(3) (a) through (c). An offender being indigent as defined in RCW 10.101.010(3) (a) through (c) is not grounds for failing to impose restitution or the crime victim penalty assessment under RCW 7.68.035. The court must on either the judgment and sentence or on a subsequent order to pay, designate the total amount of a legal financial obligation and segregate this amount among the separate assessments made for restitution, costs, fines, and other assessments required by law. On the same order, the court is also to set a sum that the offender is required to pay on a monthly basis towards satisfying the legal financial obligation. If the court fails to set the offender monthly payment amount, the department shall set the amount if the department has active supervision of the offender, otherwise the county clerk shall set the amount.
If the court determines that the offender, at the time of sentencing, has the means to pay for the cost of incarceration, the court may require the offender to pay for the cost of incarceration at a rate of fifty dollars per day of incarceration, if incarcerated in a prison, or the court may require the offender to pay the actual cost of incarceration per day of incarceration, if incarcerated in a county jail.

(3) If the court determines that the offender, at the time of sentencing, has the means to pay for the cost of incarceration, the court may require the offender to pay for the cost of incarceration. The court shall not order the offender to pay the cost of incarceration if the court finds that the offender at the time of sentencing is indigent as defined in RCW 10.101.010(3) (a) through (c).

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Indigent

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

Waiver of costs of incarceration