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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Massachusetts Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 269, § 14B(b) Willful and malicious communication of false information to public safety answering points; penalty

Upon any conviction under this section, the court shall conduct a hearing to ascertain the extent of costs incurred, and damages and financial loss sustained by any emergency response services

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provider as a result of the violation and shall order the defendant to make restitution to the emergency response services provider or providers for any such costs, damages or loss. The court shall consider the defendant’s present and future ability to pay restitution in its determinations relative to the imposition of a fine. In determining the amount, time and method of payment of restitution, the court shall consider the defendant’s employment status, earning ability, financial resources, living expenses, dependents and any special circumstances that may have bearing on their ability to pay. The court may waive restitution or modify the amount, time or method of payment if such restitution payment would cause a substantial financial hardship to the defendant or the defendant’s immediate family or the defendant’s dependents.

 

Felony

A substantial financial hardship to the defendant or the defendant’s immediate family or the defendant’s dependents.

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

Waive restitution or modify the amount, time or method of payment if such restitution payment

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Massachusetts Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 266, § 108 Destroying Vessel to Defraud Owner or Insurer.

The court shall, after conviction, conduct an evidentiary hearing to ascertain the extent of the damages or financial loss suffered as a result of the defendant’s crime and may then

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determine the amount and method of restitution. In so determining, the court shall consider the financial resources of the defendant and the burden restitution will impose on the defendant. The defendant’s present and future ability to make such restitution shall be considered.

All

Not provided for

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

N/A

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Massachusetts Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 266, § 108 Destroying Vessel to Defraud Owner or Insurer.

If a defendant who is required to make restitution defaults in any payment of restitution or installment thereof, the court may hold him in contempt unless said defendant has made

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a good faith effort to make restitution. If the defendant has made such good faith effort, the court may, upon motion of the defendant, modify the order requiring restitution by: (a) providing for additional time to make any payment in restitution; (b) reducing the amount of any payment in restitution or installment thereof; (c) granting a remission from any payment of restitution or part thereof.

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N/A

At defendant's request at enforcement Not provided for Determined by judge after hearing No

Modify restitution order by providing for additional time to make any payment in restitution, reducing the amount of any payment in restitution or installment thereof, or  granting a remission from

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any payment of restitution or part thereof.

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Massachusetts Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 276, § 87A Participation in Rehabilitative Programs or Performance of Community Service Work.

The court shall not assess said monthly probation fee or said administrative probation fee upon any person placed on supervised probation or administrative supervised probation after release from prison or

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a house of correction for said person’s first 6 months of such probation. Either or both of said fees shall be assessed after the first 6 months of such probation unless otherwise waived by the court pursuant to this section.

The court may waive payment of either or both of said fees if it determines after a hearing that such payment would impose a substantial financial hardship on the person, the person’s immediate family or dependents. Following the hearing and upon a finding of hardship, the court may require any such person to perform unpaid community service work at a public or nonprofit agency or facility, monitored by the probation department, for not more than 4 hours per month in lieu of payment of a probation fee. A waiver shall be in effect only during the period of time that a person is unable to pay the monthly probation fee.

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A substantial financial hardship on the person, the person’s immediate family or dependents

Before imposition of fine or fee Not provided for Determined by judge after hearing No

Perform unpaid community service work at a public or nonprofit agency or facility, monitored by the probation department, for not more than 4 hours per month in lieu of payment

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of a probation fee; waiver in effect only during the period of time that a person is unable to pay the monthly probation fee.

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Massachusetts Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 276, § 87A Participation in Rehabilitative Programs or Performance of Community Service Work.

The court shall also assess upon every person placed on supervised probation, including all persons placed on probation for offenses under section 24 of chapter 90, a monthly probationers’ victim services

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surcharge, hereinafter referred to as “victim services surcharge”, in the amount of $5 per month. Said person shall pay said victim services surcharge once each month during such time as said person remains on supervised probation. The court shall assess upon every person placed on administrative supervised probation a monthly administrative probationer’s victim services surcharge, hereinafter referred to as “administrative victim services surcharge” in the amount of $5 per month.

Said person shall pay said administrative victim services surcharge once each month during such time as said person remains on administrative supervised probation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, said fees shall not be assessed upon any person accused or convicted of a violation of section 1 or 15 of chapter 273, where compliance with an order of support for a spouse or minor child is a condition of probation.

The court may waive payment of either or both of said fees if it has determined, after a hearing, that the payment would impose a substantial financial hardship on the person, the person’s immediate family or dependents. A waiver shall be in effect only during the period of time that the person is unable to pay the monthly probation fee.

All

Substantial financial hardship on the person, the person’s immediate family or dependents

Before imposition of fine or fee Not provided for Determined by judge after hearing No

Waiver in effect only during the period of time that the person is unable to pay the monthly probation fee.

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Massachusetts Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 276, § 92A Restitution in cases involving motor vehicle theft or fraudulent claims

Restitution shall be imposed in addition to incarceration or fine, but not in lieu thereof. In an extraordinary case such as indigency, the court may determine that the interests of

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the victim and justice would not be served by ordering restitution. In such a case, the court shall make and enter specific written findings on the record concerning the extraordinary circumstances presented which militated against the imposition of restitution.

The court shall, after conviction, conduct an evidentiary hearing to ascertain the extent of the damages or financial loss suffered as a result of the defendant’s crime. The court may then determine the amount and method of restitution. In so determining, the court shall consider the financial resources of the defendant and the burden restitution will impose on the defendant. The defendant’s present and future ability to make such restitution shall be considered.

A defendant ordered to make restitution may petition the court for remission from any payment of restitution or from any unpaid portion thereof. If the court finds that the payment of restitution due will cause a substantial financial hardship to the defendant, the defendant’s immediate family or the defendant’s dependents, the court may grant remission from any payment of restitution, or modify the amount, time or method of payment.

If a defendant who is required to make restitution defaults in any payment of restitution or installment thereof, the court may hold him in contempt unless said defendant has made a good faith effort to make restitution. If the defendant has made a good faith effort to make restitution, the court may, upon motion of the defendant, modify the order requiring restitution by: (a) providing for additional time to make any payment in restitution; (b) reducing the amount of any payment in restitution or installment thereof; (c) granting a remission from any payment of restitution or part thereof.

All

Indigency; a substantial financial hardship to the defendant, the defendant’s immediate family or the defendant’s dependents; modify the order requiring restitution by (a) providing for additional time to make any payment in restitution;

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(b) reducing the amount of any payment in restitution or installment thereof; (c) granting a remission from any payment of restitution or part thereof.

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

Not order restitution; remission from any payment of restitution, or modification the amount, time or method of payment; 

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Virginia Va. Code Ann. § 19.2-358(C) Show cause hearing on default
B. Following the order to show cause or following a capias issued for a defendant's failure to comply with a court order to appear issued pursuant to subsection A of
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§ 19.2-354, unless the defendant shows that his default was not attributable to an intentional refusal to obey the sentence of the court, or not attributable to a failure on his part to make a good faith effort to obtain the necessary funds for payment, or unless the defendant shows that any failure to appear was not attributable to an intentional refusal to obey the order of the court, the court may order the defendant confined as for a contempt for a term not to exceed sixty days or impose a fine not to exceed $500. The court may provide in its order that payment or satisfaction of the amounts in default at any time will entitle the defendant to his release from such confinement or, after entering the order, may at any time reduce the sentence for good cause shown, including payment or satisfaction of such amounts. C. If it appears that the default is excusable under the standards set forth in subsection B hereof, the court may enter an order allowing the defendant additional time for payment, reducing the amount due or of each installment, or remitting the unpaid portion in whole or in part.
All Not provided for At enforcement of fine or fee Burden on defendant to show inability to pay Determined by judge after hearing No

additional time for payment, reducing the amount due or of each installment, or remitting the unpaid portion in whole or in part

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Virginia Va. Code Ann. § 19.2-363 Authority of Governor to grant relief from fines and penalties in case of deceased defendant
provided, that when the party against whom the fine or penalty has been imposed and judgment rendered therefor has departed this life leaving a spouse or children surviving, the Governor
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may remit such fine or penalty upon the certificate of the judge of the circuit court of the county or city wherein such fine or penalty was imposed and judgment rendered, that to enforce the same against the estate, real or personal, of the decedent, would impose hardship upon the spouse or children
All

would impose hardship upon the spouse or children

At defendant's request at enforcement Not provided for Determined by judge after hearing No

remittance