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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New Jersey N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2B:12-23.1 Inability to pay fine in full on date of court hearing
Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, if a municipal court finds that a person does not have the ability to pay a penalty in full on the date
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of the hearing or has failed to pay a previously imposed penalty, the court may order the person to perform community service in lieu of the payment of a penalty; or, order the payment of the penalty in installments for a period of time determined by the court.
All Not provided for Before imposition of fine or fee Not provided for Determined by judge after hearing No

Community service, installment plan

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New Jersey N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2B:12-23.1 Default of payment
If a person defaults on any payment and a municipal court finds that the defendant does not have the ability to pay, the court may: (1) reduce the penalty, suspend
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the penalty, or modify the installment plan; (2) order that credit be given against the amount owed for each day of confinement, if the court finds that the person has served jail time for the default; (3) revoke any unpaid portion of the penalty, if the court finds that the circumstances that warranted the imposition have changed or that it would be unjust to require payment; (4) order the person to perform community service in lieu of payment of the penalty; or (5) impose any other alternative permitted by law in lieu of payment of the penalty. b. For the purposes of this section, “penalty” means any fine, statutorily-mandated assessment, surcharge or other financial penalty imposed by a municipal court, except restitution or a surcharge assessed pursuant to subsection f. of section 1 of P.L.2000, c. 75 (C.39:4-97.2).
All Not provided for At enforcement of fine or fee Not provided for Determined by judge after hearing No

(1) reduce the penalty, suspend the penalty, or modify the installment plan; (2) order that credit be given against the amount owed for each day of confinement, if the court

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finds that the person has served jail time for the default; (3) revoke any unpaid portion of the penalty, if the court finds that the circumstances that warranted the imposition have changed or that it would be unjust to require payment; (4) order the person to perform community service in lieu of payment of the penalty; or (5) impose any other alternative permitted by law in lieu of payment of the penalty

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New Jersey N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2C:44-2 Criteria for imposing fines
a. The court may sentence a defendant to pay a fine in addition to a sentence of imprisonment or probation if: (1) The defendant has derived a pecuniary gain from the offense
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or the court is of opinion that a fine is specially adapted to deterrence of the type of offense involved or to the correction of the offender; (2) The defendant is able, or given a fair opportunity to do so, will be able to pay the fine; and (3) The fine will not prevent the defendant from making restitution to the victim of the offense... c. (1) In determining the amount and method of payment of a fine, the court shall take into account the financial resources of the defendant and the nature of the burden that its payment will impose.
All Not provided for Before imposition of fine or fee Not provided for Not provided for Yes Not provided for
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New Jersey N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2C:44-2 Criteria for imposing restitution
b. The court shall sentence a defendant to pay restitution in addition to a sentence of imprisonment or probation that may be imposed if: (1) The victim, or in the case
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of a homicide, the nearest relative of the victim, suffered a loss; and (2) The defendant is able to pay or, given a fair opportunity, will be able to pay restitution. c. (1) In determining the amount and method of payment of a fine, the court shall take into account the financial resources of the defendant and the nature of the burden that its payment will impose. (2) In determining the amount and method of payment of restitution, the court shall take into account all financial resources of the defendant, including the defendant's likely future earnings, and shall set the amount of restitution so as to provide the victim with the fullest compensation for loss that is consistent with the defendant's ability to pay. The court shall not reduce a restitution award by any amount that the victim has received from the Violent Crimes Compensation Board, but shall order the defendant to pay any restitution ordered for a loss previously compensated by the Board to the Violent Crimes Compensation Board. If restitution to more than one person is set at the same time, the court shall set priorities of payment.
All Not provided for Before imposition of fine or fee Not provided for Not provided for Yes Not provided for
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New Jersey N.J.Stat.Ann. § 2C:46-3 Revocation of fine
A defendant who has been sentenced to pay a fine may at any time petition the court which sentenced him for a revocation of the fine or of any unpaid
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portion thereof. If it appears to the satisfaction of the court that the circumstances which warranted the imposition of the fine have changed, or that it would otherwise be unjust to require payment, the court may revoke the fine or the unpaid portion thereof in whole or in part.
All

"would be otherwise unjust to require payment"

At defendant's request at enforcement Not provided for Not provided for No

revoke the fine in whole or in part

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New Jersey N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2A:158A-16 services rendered - ability to pay
In all cases where it appears that the defendant has or reasonably expects to have means to meet some part, though not all, of the cost of the services rendered
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to him he shall be required to reimburse the office, either by a single payment or in installments, in such amounts as he can reasonably be expected to pay; but no default or failure in the making of any such payment shall in any wise affect or reduce the rendering of the services to him.
All Not provided for Not provided for Not provided for Not provided for Yes

Not specified

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New Jersey N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2C:43-3.1 defendant's ability to pay
In imposing this assessment, the court shall consider factors such as the severity of the crime, the defendant's criminal record, defendant's ability to pay and the economic impact of the
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assessment on the defendant's dependents.
All Not provided for Before imposition of fine or fee Not provided for Not provided for Yes

Not specified

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New Jersey N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2C:43-13.8 (West) Conditional dismissal assessment, restitution and other assessments
A defendant may apply for a waiver of the fee, by reason of poverty, pursuant to the Rules Governing the Courts of the State of New Jersey, or the court
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may permit the defendant to pay the conditional dismissal fee and other assessments in installments or may order other alternatives pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2009, c. 317 (C.2B:12-23.1).
All Not provided for Not provided for Not provided for Not provided for No

waiver of fee, payment plan

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New Jersey N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2C:45-1 Conditions of Suspension or Probation This fee may be waived in cases of indigency upon application by the chief probation officer to the sentencing court. All Not provided for Not provided for Not provided for Other No

waived

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Ohio Ohio Rev. Code § 2907.27(2) Examination and treatment for venereal diseases and HIV If the accused is indigent, the court shall order the accused to report to a facility operated by a city health district or a general health district for treatment. All Not provided for Not provided for Not provided for Not provided for Yes

Use of a city facility for examination and testing

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Ohio Ohio Rev. Code § 2949.092 Condition for waiver of specified additional court costs

If a person is convicted of or pleads guilty to an offense and the court specifically is required, pursuant to section 2743.70, 2949.091,2949.093, or 2949.094 of the Revised Code or pursuant to any other

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section of the Revised Code to impose a specified sum of money as costs in the case in addition to any other costs that the court is required or permitted by law to impose in the case, the court shall not waive the payment of the specified additional court costs that the section of the Revised Code specifically requires the court to impose unless the court determines that the offender is indigent and the court waives the payment of all court costs imposed upon the offender.

All

Indigent

Not provided for Not provided for Not provided for No

Fee waiver

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Ohio Ohio Rev. Code § 2743.70(1) Additional court costs and bail to be charged

(1) The court, in which any person is convicted of or pleads guilty to any offense other than a traffic offense that is not a moving violation, shall impose the following

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sum as costs in the case in addition to any other court costs that the court is required by law to impose upon the offender:

(a) Thirty dollars, if the offense is a felony;

(b) Nine dollars, if the offense is a misdemeanor.

The court shall not waive the payment of the thirty or nine dollars court costs, unless the court determines that the offender is indigent and waives the payment of all court costs imposed upon the indigent offender. All such moneys shall be transmitted on the first business day of each month by the clerk of the court to the treasurer of state and deposited by the treasurer in the reparations fund.

All

Indigent

Before imposition of fine or fee Not provided for Determined by judge without hearing No

Fee waiver

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Ohio Ohio Rev. Code § 2929.19(B)(5) Sentencing hearing

Before imposing a financial sanction under section 2929.18 of the Revised Code or a fine under section 2929.32 of the Revised Code, the court shall consider the offender's present and future ability to

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pay the amount of the sanction or fine.

Felony

Not provided for

Before imposition of fine or fee Not provided for Determined by judge without hearing Yes

Likely no requirement to pay financial sanction

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Ohio Ohio Rev. Code § 2929.37(A) Policy requiring prisoner to pay costs of confinement

The amount assessed under this section shall not exceed the total amount that the prisoner is able to pay.

All

Not provided for

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

Likely no requirement to pay costs of confinement

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Ohio Ohio Rev. Code § 2743.70(A)(2) Additional costs in criminal cases in all courts to fund reparations payments

(2) The juvenile court in which a child is found to be a delinquent child or a juvenile traffic offender for an act which, if committed by an adult, would be

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an offense other than a traffic offense that is not a moving violation, shall impose the following sum as costs in the case in addition to any other court costs that the court is required or permitted by law to impose upon the delinquent child or juvenile traffic offender:

(a) Thirty dollars, if the act, if committed by an adult, would be a felony;

(b) Nine dollars, if the act, if committed by an adult, would be a misdemeanor.

The thirty or nine dollars court costs shall be collected in all cases unless the court determines the juvenile is indigent and waives the payment of all court costs, or enters an order on its journal stating that it has determined that the juvenile is indigent, that no other court costs are to be taxed in the case, and that the payment of the thirty or nine dollars court costs is waived. All such moneys collected during a month shall be transmitted on or before the twentieth day of the following month by the clerk of the court to the treasurer of state and deposited by the treasurer in the reparations fund.

Traffic

Indigent

Before imposition of fine or fee Not provided for Determined by judge without hearing No

Likely no requirement to pay financial sanction

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Ohio Ohio Rev. Code § 2949.091(A)(1)(b) Fees and costs

The court shall not waive the payment of the additional thirty-, twenty-, or ten-dollar court costs, unless the court determines that the offender is indigent and waives the payment of

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all court costs imposed upon the indigent offender.

All

Indigent

Before imposition of fine or fee Not provided for Determined by judge without hearing No

Fee waiver

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Ohio Ohio Rev. Code § 2949.091(A)(1) Additional court costs or bail

(a) The court in which any person is convicted of or pleads guilty to any offense shall impose one of the following sums as costs in the case in addition to

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any other court costs that the court is required by law to impose upon the offender:

(i) Thirty dollars if the offense is a felony;

(ii) Twenty dollars if the offense is a misdemeanor other than a traffic offense that is not a moving violation;

(iii) Ten dollars if the offense is a traffic offense that is not a moving violation, excluding parking violations.

(b) All moneys collected pursuant to division (A)(1)(a) of this section during a month shall be transmitted on or before the twentieth day of the following month by the clerk of the court to the treasurer of state and deposited by the treasurer of state to the credit of the indigent defense support fund established under section 120.08 of the Revised Code. The court shall not waive the payment of the additional thirty-, twenty-, or ten-dollar court costs, unless the court determines that the offender is indigent and waives the payment of all court costs imposed upon the indigent offender.

All

Indigent

Not provided for Not provided for Determined by judge without hearing No

Fee waiver

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Ohio Ohio Rev. Code § 2301.14 Taxing costs

The clerk of the court of common pleas in which the service of a court interpreter is rendered shall tax in the cost bill in such case, to be collected

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as other costs, the sum of three dollars for each day of service of such interpreter, which fees shall be paid into the county treasury to the credit of the county fund. If the party taxed with costs is indigent, the clerk shall not tax the interpreter’s fees as costs, and the county shall pay the interpreter’s fees.

All

Indigent

Before imposition of fine or fee Not provided for Not provided for No

County pays for the interpreter.

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Ohio Ohio Rev. Code § 2151.54 Fees and costs

 

If a child is adjudicated to be a delinquent child or a juvenile traffic offender and the juvenile court specifically is required, by section 2743.70 or 2949.091 of the Revised Code or any

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other section of the Revised Code, to impose a specified sum of money as court costs in addition to any other court costs that the court is required or permitted by law to impose, the court shall not waive the payment of the specified additional court costs that the section of the Revised Code specifically requires the court to impose unless the court determines that the child is indigent and the court either waives the payment of all court costs or enters an order in its journal stating that no court costs are to be taxed in the case.

All

Indigent

Before imposition of fine or fee Not provided for Determined by judge without hearing No

Waives the payment of all court costs or enters an order in its journal stating that no court costs are to be taxed in the case

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Ohio Ohio Rev. Code § 2929.28(B) Financial Sanctions - misdemeanor

If the court determines a hearing is necessary, the court may hold a hearing to determine whether the offender is able to pay the financial sanction imposed pursuant to this

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section or court costs or is likely in the future to be able to pay the sanction or costs. If the court determines that the offender is indigent and unable to pay the financial sanction or court costs, the court shall consider imposing and may impose a term of community service under division (A) of section 2929.27 of the Revised Code in lieu of imposing a financial sanction or court costs. If the court does not determine that the offender is indigent, the court may impose a term of community service under division (A) of section 2929.27 of the Revised Code in lieu of or in addition to imposing a financial sanction under this section and in addition to imposing court costs. The court may order community service for a minor misdemeanor pursuant to division (D) of section 2929.27 of the Revised Code in lieu of or in addition to imposing a financial sanction under this section and in addition to imposing court costs. If a person fails to pay a financial sanction or court costs, the court may order community service in lieu of the financial sanction or court costs.

Misdemeanor

Indigent

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

Community service in lieu of restitution.