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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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.

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Ohio Ohio Rev. Code § 2953.32(C)(3) Sealing of record of conviction or bail forfeiture

An applicant may request the sealing of the records of more than one case in a single application under this section. Upon the filing of an application under this section,

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the applicant, unless indigent, shall pay a fee of fifty dollars, regardless of the number of records the application requests to have sealed. 

All

Indigent

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

Likely no requirement to pay fee

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Ohio Ohio Rev. Code § 2949.091(2) Additional court costs or bail

(2) 

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

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an offense, shall impose one of the following sums 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:

(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)(2)(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 thirty-, twenty-, or ten-dollar 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-, twenty-, or ten-dollar court costs is waived.

All

Indigent

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

Fee waiver

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Ohio Ohio Rev. Code § 2921.38(E) Harassment with bodily substance

(1) The court, on request of the prosecutor, or the law enforcement authority responsible for the investigation of the violation, shall cause a person who allegedly has committed a violation of

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this section to submit to one or more appropriate tests to determine if the person is a carrier of the virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, is a carrier of a hepatitis virus, or is infected with tuberculosis.

(2) The court shall charge the offender with the costs of the test or tests ordered under division (E)(1) of this section unless the court determines that the accused is unable to pay, in which case the costs shall be charged to the entity that operates the detention facility in which the alleged offense occurred.

All

Not provided for

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

Costs charged to the entity that operates the detention facility in which the alleged offense occurred.

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Ohio Ohio Rev. Code § 2949.094(A) Additional court costs for drug law enforcement, justice program services, and indigent drivers alcohol treatment funds

The court in which any person is convicted of or pleads guilty to any moving violation shall impose an additional court cost of ten dollars upon the offender. The court

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shall not waive the payment of the ten dollars unless the court determines that the offender is indigent and waives the payment of all court costs imposed upon the indigent offender.

All

Indigent

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

Fee waiver

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Ohio Ohio Rev. Code § 2947.14 Satisfaction of fine

(A) If a fine is imposed as a sentence or a part of a sentence, the court or magistrate that imposed the fine may order that the offender be committed to

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the jail or workhouse until the fine is paid or secured to be paid, or the offender is otherwise legally discharged, if the court or magistrate determines at a hearing that the offender is able, at that time, to pay the fine but refuses to do so. The hearing required by this section shall be conducted at the time of sentencing.

(B) At the hearing, the offender has the right to be represented by counsel and to testify and present evidence as to the offender’s ability to pay the fine. If a court or magistrate determines after considering the evidence presented by an offender, that the offender is able to pay a fine, the determination shall be supported by findings of fact set forth in a judgment entry that indicate the offender’s income, assets, and debts, as presented by the offender, and the offender’s ability to pay.

(C) If the court or magistrate has found the offender able to pay a fine at a hearing conducted in compliance with divisions (A) and (B) of this section, and the offender fails to pay the fine, a warrant may be issued for the arrest of the offender. Any offender held in custody pursuant to such an arrest shall be entitled to a hearing on the first regularly scheduled court day following the date of arrest in order to inform the court or magistrate of any change of circumstances that has occurred since the time of sentencing and that affects the offender’s ability to pay the fine. The right to the hearing on any change of circumstances may be waived by the offender.

At the hearing to determine any change of circumstances, the offender has the right to testify and present evidence as to any portion of the offender’s income, assets, or debts that has changed in such a manner as to affect the offender’s ability to pay the fine. If a court or magistrate determines, after considering any evidence presented by the offender, that the offender remains able to pay the fine, that determination shall be supported by a judgment entry that includes findings of fact upon which such a determination is based.

(D) No person shall be ordered to be committed to a jail or workhouse or otherwise be held in custody in satisfaction of a fine imposed as the whole or a part of a sentence except as provided in this section. Any person imprisoned pursuant to this section shall receive credit upon the fine at the rate of fifty dollars per day or fraction of a day. If the unpaid fine is less than fifty dollars, the person shall be imprisoned one day.

(E) No commitment pursuant to this section shall exceed six months.

All

Case-by-case analysis. Determined based upon income, assets, and debts.

At enforcement of fine or fee Burden on defendant to show inability to pay Determined by judge after hearing Yes

Not imprisoned for nonpayment.

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Ohio Ohio Rev. Code § 120.36(A)(1),(B) Application fee for indigent defendants and parties in juvenile court

(A)(1) Subject to division (A)(2), (3), (4), (5), or (6) of this section, if a person who is a defendant in a criminal case or a party in a case

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in juvenile court requests or is provided a state public defender, a county or joint county public defender, or any other counsel appointed by the court, the court in which the criminal case is initially filed or the juvenile court, whichever is applicable, shall assess, unless the application fee is waived or reduced, a non-refundable application fee of twenty-five dollars.

The court shall direct the person to pay the application fee to the clerk of court. The person shall pay the application fee to the clerk of court at the time the person files a financial disclosure form with the court, a state public defender, a county or joint county public defender, or any other counsel appointed by the court or within seven days of that date. If the person does not pay the application fee within that seven-day period, the court shall assess the application fee at sentencing or at the final disposition of the case.

(B) No court, state public defender, county or joint county public defender, or other counsel appointed by the court shall deny a person the assistance of counsel solely due to the person’s failure to pay the application fee assessed pursuant to division (A) of this section. A person’s present inability, failure, or refusal to pay the application fee shall not disqualify that person from legal representation.

All

Not provided for

Not provided for Not provided for Not provided for No

Likely no requirement to pay fee.

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Ohio Ohio Rev. Code § 2949.094(B) Additional court costs for drug law enforcement, justice program services, and indigent drivers alcohol treatment funds

(B) The juvenile court in which a child is found to be a juvenile traffic offender for an act that is a moving violation shall impose an additional court cost

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of ten dollars upon the juvenile traffic offender. The juvenile court shall not waive the payment of the ten dollars unless the court determines that the juvenile 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 § 2941.51(D) Person represented shall pay for part of costs if able

The fees and expenses approved by the court under this section shall not be taxed as part of the costs and shall be paid by the county. However, if the person represented

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has, or reasonably may be expected to have, the means to meet some part of the cost of the services rendered to the person, the person shall pay the county an amount that the person reasonably can be expected to pay.

All

Not provided for.

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

County will pay representation fees in-full or in part.

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Ohio Ohio Rev. Code § 2152.20(C)-(D) Fines; costs; restitution; order of criminal forfeiture; community service

(C) The court may hold a hearing if necessary to determine whether a child is able to pay a sanction under this section.

(D) If a child who is adjudicated a delinquent child

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is indigent, the court shall consider imposing a term of community service under division (A) of section 2152.19 of the Revised Code in lieu of imposing a financial sanction under this section. If a child who is adjudicated a delinquent child is not indigent, the court may impose a term of community service under that division in lieu of, or in addition to, imposing a financial sanction under this section. The court may order community service for an act that if committed by an adult would be a minor misdemeanor.

If a child fails to pay a financial sanction imposed under this section, the court may impose a term of community service in lieu of the sanction.

All

Indigent

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

Community service in lieu of payment.