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.
Every law can be saved to the Reform Builder
See all ability to pay policy recommendations in CJPP’s Policy Guide
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.
6 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 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Add to Dashboard
|
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 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 |
Add to Dashboard
|
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 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 |
Add to Dashboard
|
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 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.
|
All |
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 any payment of restitution or part thereof.
|
Add to Dashboard
|
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 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. |
All |
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 of a probation fee; waiver in effect only during the period of time that a person is unable to pay the monthly probation fee.
|
Add to Dashboard
|
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 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. |
Add to Dashboard
|
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 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; (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; |
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.