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 §2005(2)(D) Criteria for restitution

D. When the amount and method of payment of monetary restitution or the performance of service restitution creates an excessive financial hardship on the offender or dependent of the offender.

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In making this determination, all relevant factors must be considered, including, but not limited to the following:(1) The number of the offender's dependents; (2) The minimum living expenses of the offender and the offender's dependents; (3) The special needs of the offender and the offender's dependents, including necessary travel expense to and from work; (4) The offender's present income and potential future earning capacity; and (5) The offender's resources, from whatever source.

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excessive financial hardship on offender or dependents

Before imposition of fine or fee Not provided for Determined by judge after hearing No Not provided for
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Maine Me. Rev. Stat. tit 17-A §1751(1)-(2) County jail reimbursement fee

1. Assessment of reimbursement fee. When an individual is sentenced to incarceration in a county jail, the sentencing court shall consider and may assess as part of the sentence a jail

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reimbursement fee, referred to in this section as “the reimbursement fee,” to help defray the expenses of the individual's room and board.

2. Evidence. The court, in determining whether a reimbursement fee as set out in subsection 1 is to be assessed and in establishing the amount of that fee, shall consider evidence relevant to the individual's ability to pay that fee, including, but not limited to, the factors set forth in section 2005, subsection 2, paragraph D, subparagraphs (1) to (5). The court may not consider as evidence the following: A. Joint ownership, if any, that the individual may have in real property; B. Joint ownership, if any, that the individual may have in any assets, earnings or other sources of income; and C. The income, assets, earnings or other property, both real and personal, owned by the individual's spouse or family.

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excessive financial hardship on offender or dependents

Not provided for Not provided for Determined by judge after hearing Yes Not provided for
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Maine Me. Rev. Stat. tit 17-A §1854(2)(A) Requirements of administrative release

In determining the amount of the fee, the court shall take into account the financial resources of the person and the nature of the burden its payment imposes.

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Financial resources and nature of burden

Before imposition of fine or fee Not provided for Not provided for No Not provided for
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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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Maine Me. Rev. Stat. tit 17-A §1902(1) Deferred disposition

1. Authority of court to order deferment and impose requirements; administrative supervision fee. Following the acceptance of a plea of guilty for a crime for which a person is eligible for

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a deferred disposition under section 1901, the court may order sentencing deferred to a date certain or determinable and impose requirements upon the person, to be in effect during the period of deferment, considered by the court to be reasonable and appropriate to assist the person to lead a law-abiding life. The court-imposed deferment requirements must include a requirement that the person refrain from criminal conduct and may include a requirement that the person pay to the appropriate county an administrative supervision fee of not more than $50 per month, as determined by the court, for the term of the deferment. In determining the amount of the fee, the court shall take into account the financial resources of the person and the nature of the burden its payment imposes. In exchange for the deferred sentencing, the person shall abide by the court-imposed deferment requirements. Unless the court orders otherwise, the requirements are immediately in effect.

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The financial resources of the person and the nature of the burden its payment imposes.

Before imposition of fine or fee Not provided for Determined by judge without hearing No Not provided for
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Maine Me. Rev. Stat. tit 17-A § 1607 Prohibition against imprisonment based on incapacity to pay fine

If a court finds that an individual has met the burden of proving incapacity to pay a fine pursuant to section 1702, subsection 2, the court may not impose a

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term of imprisonment or any other sentencing alternative involving imprisonment solely for the reason that the individual does not have the present or future capacity to pay the fine.

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Not provided for

At enforcement of fine or fee Burden on defendant to show inability to pay Not provided for No Not provided for
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Michigan Mich. Comp. Laws § 772.6 Failure to pay recognizance
If the person so ordered to recognize refuses or neglects to provide that recognizance, the court shall commit the person to the county jail during the period for which security
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was required, or until the person provides that recognizance. A person shall not be incarcerated for failure to pay the recognizance unless the court conducts a hearing and determines that the person has the resources to pay the recognizance and has not made a good faith effort to do so. In determining whether to incarcerate the person, the court shall also consider the person's employment status, earning ability, and financial resources; the willfulness of the person's failure to pay the recognizance; and any other special circumstances that may have a bearing on the person's ability to pay the recognizance. The court shall state in the warrant the cause of commitment with the sum and the time for which the security was required.
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the person has the resources to pay the recognizance and has not made a good faith effort to do so

At enforcement of fine or fee Not provided for Determined by judge after hearing No

none

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Michigan Mich. Comp. Laws § 257.908(1)-(4) Default as civil contempt; penalty
If a defendant defaults in the payment of a civil fine, costs, or both, or of any installment, as ordered pursuant to section 907(2), the court, upon the motion of
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the plaintiff or upon its own motion, may require the defendant to show cause why the default should not be treated as in civil contempt and may issue a summons or order to show cause or a bench warrant of arrest for the defendant's appearance. . . . If it appears that the default in the payment of a civil fine or costs does not constitute civil contempt, the court may enter an order allowing the defendant additional time for payment, reducing the amount of payment or of each installment, or revoking the fine or costs or the unpaid portion thereof in whole or in part. . .
Traffic

"default was not attributable to an intentional refusal to obey the order of the court or to a failure on his or her part to make a good faith effort

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to obtain the funds required for payment"

At enforcement of fine or fee Burden on defendant to show inability to pay Determined by judge after hearing No

allowing the defendant additional time for payment, reducing the amount of payment or of each installment, or revoking the fine or costs or the unpaid portion thereof in whole or

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in part

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Michigan Mich. Comp. Laws § 600.8729(1)-(4) Payment of fine, default as civil contempt
If a defendant defaults in the payment of a civil fine, costs, assessment, or, if applicable, damages or expenses as provided in section 8733(2) if applicable, or any installment, as
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ordered pursuant to section 8727, the court, upon the motion of the plaintiff or upon its own motion, may require the defendant to show cause why the defendant should not be held in civil contempt and may issue a summons, an order to show cause, or a bench warrant of arrest for the defendant's appearance. . . . If it appears that the default in the payment of a fine, costs, assessment, or damages or expenses does not constitute civil contempt, the court may enter an order allowing the defendant additional time for payment, reducing the amount of payment or of each installment, or revoking the fine, costs, assessment, or damages or expenses.
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"the default was not attributable to an intentional refusal to obey the order of the court or to a failure on his or her part to make a good faith

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effort to obtain the funds required for payment"

At enforcement of fine or fee Burden on defendant to show inability to pay Determined by judge after hearing No

allowing the defendant additional time for payment, reducing the amount of payment or of each installment, or revoking the fine, costs, assessment, or damages or expense

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Michigan Mich. Comp. Laws § 791.225a Projected income and financial resources
(3) In determining the amount of the fee, the department shall consider the offender's projected income and financial resources. . . . (6) If a person has not paid the
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full amount of a supervision fee upon being discharged from probation, or upon termination of the period of delayed sentence for a person subject to delayed sentence, the department shall review and compare the actual income of the person during the period of probation or delayed sentence with the income amount projected when the supervision fee was ordered. If the department determines that the person's actual income did not equal or exceed the projected income, the department shall waive any unpaid amount in excess of the total amount that the person would have been ordered to pay if the person's income had been accurately projected, unless the court order states that a higher amount was ordered due to available assets or other financial resources.
All Not provided for Not provided for Not provided for Administrative decision Yes

Not specified

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Michigan Mich. Comp. Laws § 780.794(11) Juvenile probation
(11) If the juvenile is placed on probation, any restitution ordered under this section shall be a condition of that probation. The court may revoke probation if the juvenile fails
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to comply with the order and if the juvenile has not made a good faith effort to comply with the order. In determining whether to revoke probation, the court shall consider the juvenile's employment status, earning ability, and financial resources, the willfulness of the juvenile's failure to pay, and any other special circumstances that may have a bearing on the juvenile's ability to pay.
All Not provided for Not provided for Not provided for Other No

Modification of the amount or method of payment

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Michigan Mich. Comp. Laws § 780.794(12) Juvenile probation
(12) Subject to subsection (18), a juvenile who is required to pay restitution and who is not in willful default of the payment of the restitution may at any time
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petition the court to modify the method of payment. If the court determines that payment under the order will impose a manifest hardship on the juvenile or his or her immediate family, and if the court also determines that modifying the method of payment will not impose a manifest hardship on the victim, the court may modify the method of payment.
All Not provided for Not provided for Not provided for Other Yes

Not specified

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Michigan Mich. Comp. Laws § 780.794(14) Juvenile probation
(14) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a juvenile shall not be detained or imprisoned for a violation of probation or parole or otherwise for failure to pay restitution
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as ordered under this section unless the court determines that the juvenile has the resources to pay the ordered restitution and has not made a good faith effort to do so.
All Not provided for Not provided for Not provided for Other Yes

Not specified

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Michigan Mich. Comp. Laws § 780.794(15) Juvenile probation
(15) If the court determines that the juvenile is or will be unable to pay all of the restitution ordered, after notice to the juvenile's parent or parents and an
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opportunity for the parent or parents to be heard, the court may order the parent or parents having supervisory responsibility for the juvenile at the time of the acts upon which an order of restitution is based to pay any portion of the restitution ordered that is outstanding. . .
All Not provided for Not provided for Not provided for Other Yes

Not specified

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Michigan Mich. Comp. Laws § 780.794(16) Juvenile probation
(16) If the court orders a parent to pay restitution under subsection (15), the court shall take into account the parent's financial resources and the burden that the payment of
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restitution will impose
All Not provided for Not provided for Not provided for Other Yes

Not specified

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Michigan Mich. Comp. Laws § 780.794(17) Juvenile probation
(17) A parent who has been ordered to pay restitution under subsection (15) may petition the court for a modification of the amount of restitution owed by the parent or
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for a cancellation of any unpaid portion of the parent's obligation. The court shall cancel all or part of the parent's obligation due if the court determines that payment of the amount due will impose a manifest hardship on the parent and if the court also determines that modifying the method of payment will not impose a manifest hardship on the victim.
All Not provided for Not provided for Not provided for Other Yes

Not specified

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Michigan Mich. Comp. Laws § 771.3(6)(a) Cost imposed as part of sentence of probation
(6) If the court imposes costs under subsection (2) as part of a sentence of probation, all of the following apply: (a) The court shall not require a probationer to
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pay costs under subsection (2) unless the probationer is or will be able to pay them during the term of probation. In determining the amount and method of payment of costs under subsection (2), the court shall take into account the probationer's financial resources and the nature of the burden that payment of costs will impose, with due regard to his or her other obligations.
All Not provided for Not provided for Not provided for Not provided for Yes

Not specified

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Michigan Mich. Comp. Laws § 771.3c(1) Probationer's projected income and financial resources
. In determining the amount of the fee, the court shall consider the probationer's projected income and financial resources. The court shall use the following table of projected monthly income
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in determining the amount of the fee to be ordered: [table]
All Not provided for Before imposition of fine or fee Not provided for Not provided for Yes

Not specified

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Michigan Mich. Comp. Laws § 769.1a(10-14) Restitution - limitations
(10) If not otherwise provided by the court under this subsection, restitution shall be made immediately. However, the court may require that the defendant make restitution under this section within
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a specified period or in specified installments. (11) If the defendant is placed on probation or paroled or the court imposes a conditional sentence under section 3 of this chapter, any restitution ordered under this section shall be a condition of that probation, parole, or sentence. The court may revoke probation or impose imprisonment under the conditional sentence and the parole board may revoke parole if the defendant fails to comply with the order and if the defendant has not made a good faith effort to comply with the order. In determining whether to revoke probation or parole or impose imprisonment, the court or parole board shall consider the defendant's employment status, earning ability, and financial resources, the willfulness of the defendant's failure to pay, and any other special circumstances that may have a bearing on the defendant's ability to pay. (12) A defendant who is required to pay restitution and who is not in willful default of the payment of the restitution may at any time petition the sentencing judge or his or her successor to modify the method of payment. If the court determines that payment under the order will impose a manifest hardship on the defendant or his or her immediate family, the court may modify the method of payment. . . . (14) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a defendant shall not be imprisoned, jailed, or incarcerated for a violation of probation or parole or otherwise for failure to pay restitution as ordered under this section unless the court or parole board determines that the defendant has the resources to pay the ordered restitution and has not made a good faith effort to do so.
All Not provided for Not provided for Not provided for Other No

Change method of payment; not make condition of probation, parole, or sentence

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Michigan Mich. Comp. Laws § 780.826(10)-(14) violation of probation - resources to pay
Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a defendant shall not be imprisoned, jailed, or incarcerated for a violation of probation or otherwise for failure to pay restitution as ordered
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under this section unless the court determines that the defendant has the resources to pay the ordered restitution and has not made a good faith effort to do so.
Misdemeanor Not provided for Not provided for Not provided for Not provided for No

Modification of the amount or method of payment