50-State Criminal Justice Debt Reform Builder Bringing transparency to areas of significant legal complexity.
Ability to Pay
Keyword search across all of the laws in the states. Subject-area tabs above allow you to narrow results. Click the advanced search for further refinement.
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Below are the ability to pay laws that meet your search criteria. Many include a See related provisions prompt which searches our database for laws that may pertain to your result.
10 Results
| 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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Kentucky | Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 533.030(2)(l) | Conditions of probation and conditional discharge; restitution to victim |
(2) When imposing a sentence of probation or conditional discharge, the court may, in addition to any other reasonable condition, require that the defendant: (l) Submit to periodic testing for the use of controlled substances or alcohol, if the defendant's record indicates a controlled substance or alcohol problem, and to pay a reasonable fee, as determined by the court, which fee shall not exceed the actual cost of the test and analysis and shall be paid directly to the agency or agencies responsible for testing and analysis as compensation for the cost of the testing and analysis, as specified by written order of the court, performed under this subsection. For good cause shown, the testing fee may be waived by the court;
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All |
Not provided for |
Not provided for | Not provided for | Determined by judge without hearing | No |
Fee waived |
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Kentucky | Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 534.030(2) | Fines for felonies |
(2) In determining the amount and method of paying a fine for commission of a felony, the court shall consider, among others, the following factors: (a) The defendant's ability to pay the amount of the fine; (b) The hardship likely to be imposed on the defendant's dependents by the amount of the fine and the time and method of paying it; (c) The impact the amount of the fine will have on the defendant's ability to make reparation or restitution to the victim; and (d) The amount of the defendant's gain, if any, derived from the commission of the offense.
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Felony | Not provided for | Before imposition of fine or fee | Not provided for | Determined by judge without hearing | Yes |
Not specified |
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Kentucky | Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 510.320(2)-(3),(6) | Human immunodeficiency virus testing for defendants accused of certain sexual offenses; results; counseling when test positive; cost; effect of appeal |
(2) A defendant charged with an offense pursuant to this chapter which has sexual intercourse or deviate sexual intercourse as an element, or has sexual contact as an element when the circumstances of the case demonstrate a possibility of transmission of human immunodeficiency virus, shall upon initial court appearance on the charge, be informed by the judge of the availability of human immunodeficiency virus testing. The judge shall also notify the victim of the offense, or parent or guardian of the victim, that the defendant has been so notified.
(3) When a defendant has been convicted of any offense in subsection (2) of this section, other provisions of law to the contrary notwithstanding, the sentencing court, regardless of any prior human immunodeficiency virus test, shall order the defendant to undergo a human immunodeficiency virus test, under the direction of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services... (6) The cost of testing under this section shall be paid by the defendant tested, unless the court has determined the defendant to be indigent. |
All |
Indigency |
Before imposition of fine or fee | Not provided for | Determined by judge without hearing | Yes |
Not specified |
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Kentucky | Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 534.040 | Fines for misdemeanors and violations |
(4) Fines required by this section shall not be imposed upon any person determined by the court to be indigent pursuant to KRS Chapter 31. |
Misdemeanor |
Indigent |
Before imposition of fine or fee | Not provided for | Determined by judge without hearing | No | Not provided for |
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Kentucky | Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 23A.208(3) | Additional fee for sex crime, stalking, or related inchoate offenses |
(3) The court may waive all or any portion of the fee required by this section if the court finds that a person subject to the surcharge is indigent or financially unable to pay all or any portion of the surcharge. The court may waive only the portion of the surcharge that the court finds the person is financially unable to pay.
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All | Not provided for | Before imposition of fine or fee | Not provided for | Determined by judge without hearing | No |
Waive portion of surcharge. |
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Oregon | Or. Rev. Stat. § 137.286(3) | Minimum fines for misdemeanors and felonies |
A court may waive payment of the minimum fine established by this section, in whole or in part, if the court finds that requiring payment of the minimum fine would be inconsistent with justice in the case. In making its determination under this subsection, the court shall consider: (a) The financial resources of the defendant and the burden that payment of the minimum fine will impose, with due regard to the other obligations of the defendant; and (b) The extent to which that burden can be alleviated by allowing the defendant to pay the monetary obligations imposed by the court on an installment basis or on other conditions to be fixed by the court.
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Misdemeanor, Felony |
Inconsistent with justice in the case; the financial resources of the defendant and the burden that payment of the minimum fine will impose, with due regard to the other obligations of the defendant; and the extent to which that burden can be alleviated by allowing the defendant to pay the monetary obligations imposed by the court on an installment basis or on other conditions to be fixed by the court.
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Before imposition of fine or fee | Not provided for | Determined by judge without hearing | No |
Fine waiver in whole or in part. |
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Oregon | Or. Rev. Stat. § 161.665(4)-(5) | Costs |
(4) The court may not sentence a defendant to pay costs under this section unless the defendant is or may be able to pay them. In determining the amount and method of payment of costs, the court shall take account of the financial resources of the defendant and the nature of the burden that payment of costs will impose.
(5) A defendant who has been sentenced to pay costs under this section and who is not in contumacious default in the payment of costs may at any time petition the court that sentenced the defendant for remission of the payment of costs or of any unpaid portion of costs. If it appears to the satisfaction of the court that payment of the amount due will impose manifest hardship on the defendant or the immediate family of the defendant, the court may enter a supplemental judgment that remits all or part of the amount due in costs, or modifies the method of payment under ORS 161.675. |
All |
Financial resources of the defendant and the nature of the burden that payment of costs will impose; amount due will impose manifest hardship on the defendant or the immediate family of the defendant
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At defendant's request at enforcement | Not provided for | Determined by judge without hearing | No |
Cost not imposed; modifies method of payment or remission of payment. |
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Oregon | Or. Rev. Stat. § 151.505(3) | Authority of court to order repayment of costs related to provision of appointed counsel |
The court may not require a person to pay costs under this section unless the person is or may be able to pay the costs. In determining the amount and method of payment of costs, the court shall take account of the financial resources of the person and the nature of the burden that payment of costs will impose.
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All |
Financial resources of the person and the nature of the burden that payment of costs will impose |
Before imposition of fine or fee | Not provided for | Determined by judge without hearing | No |
Costs not imposed |
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Oregon | Or. Rev. Stat. § 423.570(6) | Monthly fee payable by person on supervised release; use; payment as condition of release; waiver |
In cases of financial hardship or when otherwise advisable in the interest of the released person's rehabilitation: (a) The community corrections manager may waive or reduce the amount of the fee. (b) The sentencing court may waive or reduce the amount of the fee for any person whom the court has sentenced to probation. If any of the fee requirement is reduced by the court, only the court may restore the requirement.
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All |
Financial hardship |
Before imposition of fine or fee | Not provided for | Determined by judge without hearing | No |
Waive or reduce amount of the fee |
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Oregon | Or. Rev. Stat. § 135.891(2) | Required and permissive elements of diversion agreement; program fee |
(2) As a condition of entering into a diversion agreement under ORS 135.881 to 135.901, the defendant must pay a program fee of $100. The court may waive all or part of the fee in cases involving indigent defendants, or may provide for payment of the fee on an installment basis. A fee collected under this subsection in the circuit court shall be deposited by the clerk of the court in the Criminal Fine Account. If the fee is collected in a municipal or justice court, $35 of the fee shall be forwarded by the court to the Department of Revenue for deposit in the Criminal Fine Account, and the remainder of the fee shall be paid to the city or county treasurer.
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All |
Indigent |
Before imposition of fine or fee | Not provided for | Determined by judge without hearing | No |
Waive fee or provide for payment of the fee on an installment basis. |
The Criminal Justice Debt Reform Builder is a project of the National Criminal Justice Debt Initiative of the Criminal Justice Policy Program at Harvard Law School in collaboration with the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University and with user experience design by metaLAB (at) Harvard.
For more information, please visit cjpp.law.harvard.edu.