50-State Criminal Justice Debt Reform Builder Bringing transparency to areas of significant legal complexity.
Ability to Pay
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- Alabama (12)
- (-) Alaska (8)
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- Florida (36)
- Georgia (14)
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- Idaho (15)
- Illinois (23)
- Indiana (15)
- Iowa (12)
- Kansas (6)
- Kentucky (17)
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- Michigan (17)
- Minnesota (14)
- Mississippi (8)
- Missouri (15)
- (-) Montana (29)
- Nebraska (14)
- Nevada (7)
- New Hampshire (29)
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- North Carolina (14)
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- Texas (17)
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- Vermont (9)
- (-) Virginia (10)
- Washington (15)
- Washington DC (5)
- West Virginia (16)
- Wisconsin (7)
- Wyoming (17)
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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.
47 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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Alaska | Alaska Stat. Ann. § 12.55.051(c) | Enforcement of Fines and Restitution |
A defendant who has been sentenced to pay a fine or restitution may request a hearing regarding the defendant's ability to pay the fine or restitution at any time that the defendant is required to pay all or a portion of the fine or restitution. The court may deny the request if it has previously considered the defendant's ability to pay and the defendant's request does not allege changed circumstances. If, at a hearing under this subsection, the defendant proves by a preponderance of the evidence that the defendant will be unable through good faith efforts to satisfy the order requiring payment of the fine or restitution, the court shall modify the order so that the defendant can pay the fine or restitution through good faith efforts. The court may reduce the fine ordered, change the payment schedule, or otherwise modify the order. The court may not reduce an order of restitution but may change the payment schedule.
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All |
"Defendant will be unable through good faith efforts to satisfy the order requiring payment of the fine or restitution." |
At defendant's request at enforcement | Burden on defendant to show inability to pay | Determined by judge after hearing | No |
Reduction of fine; modification of fee schedule; or any other modification the Court thinks appropriate. |
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Alaska | Alaska Stat. Ann. § 18.85.120 | Determination of Indigency; Repayment |
(a) The determination of a person's indigency shall be made by the court in which an action against the person is pending. The determination shall be made by the court and shall set out the basis for the finding that the person is indigent. (b) In determining whether a person is indigent and in determining the extent of the person's inability to pay, the court shall consider such factors as income, property owned, outstanding obligations, and the number and ages of dependents. Release on bail does not preclude a finding that a person is indigent. In each case, the person, subject to the penalties for perjury, shall certify under oath, and in writing or by other record, material factors relative to the person's financial resources and ability to pay that the court prescribes.
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All |
"The court shall consider such factors as income, property owned, outstanding obligations, and the number and ages of dependents." |
Before imposition of fine or fee | Burden on defendant to show inability to pay | Determined by judge without hearing | No | Not provided for |
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Alaska | Alaska Stat. Ann. § 12.55.039(b) | Surcharge |
A court may not fail to impose the surcharge required under this section. The surcharge may not be waived, deferred, or suspended. A court may allow a defendant who is unable to pay the surcharge required to be imposed under this section to perform community work under AS 12.55.055(c) in lieu of the surcharge.
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All |
"Unable to pay the surcharge." |
At enforcement of fine or fee | Not provided for | Not provided for | No |
Community Service |
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Alaska | Alaska Stat. § 12.55.045(g),(j),(k) | Restitution and Compensation |
(g) The court may not, in ordering the amount of restitution, consider the defendant’s ability to pay restitution; (j) A defendant who is convicted of an offense for which restitution may be ordered shall submit financial information as ordered by the court. The Alaska Court System shall prepare a form, in consultation with the Department of Law, for the submission of the information; the form must include a warning that submission of incomplete or inaccurate information is punishable as unsworn falsification in the second degree under AS 11.56.210. A defendant who is convicted of (1) a felony shall submit the form to the probation office within 30 days after conviction, and the probation officer shall attach the form to the presentence report, or (2) a misdemeanor shall file the form with the defendant’s response or opposition to the restitution amount. The defendant shall provide a copy of the completed form to the prosecuting authority; (k) The court, on its own motion or at the request of the prosecuting authority or probation officer, may order a defendant on probation who has been ordered to pay restitution to submit financial information to the court using the form specified in (j) of this section. The defendant shall file the completed form with the court within five days after the court’s order. The defendant shall provide a copy of the completed form to the prosecuting authority and the person’s probation officer, if any.
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All | Not provided for | Not provided for | Not provided for | Not provided for | No | Not provided for |
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Alaska | Alaska Stat. § 18.85.155(a) | Payment by Municipality |
When a municipality prosecutes a person who has been determined by the court to be indigent under AS 18.85.120 for a violation of a municipal ordinance that is a serious crime, the municipality shall pay for the services of the attorney appointed by the court to defend the indigent person.
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All |
"Indigent under AS 18.85.120" |
Not provided for | Not provided for | Not provided for | Yes |
The municipality shall pay for the services of the attorney appointed by the court to defend the indigent person. |
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Alaska | Alaska Stat. § 33.30.028(b) | Responsibility for Costs of Medical Care |
The commissioner shall require prisoners who are without resources under (a) of this section to pay the costs of medical, psychological, and psychiatric care provided to them by the department. At a minimum, the prisoner shall be required to pay a portion of the costs based upon the prisoner’s ability to pay.
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All | Not provided for | Not provided for | Not provided for | Administrative decision | No |
Required to pay a portion of the costs. |
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Alaska | Alaska Stat. § 12.55.100(f) | Conditions of Probation |
While on probation and as a special condition of probation for an offense where the aggravating factor provided in AS 12.55.155(c)(29) has been proven or admitted, the court shall require that the defendant submit to electronic monitoring. Electronic monitoring under this subsection must provide for monitoring of the defendant’s location and movements by Global Positioning System technology. The court shall require a defendant serving a period of probation with electronic monitoring as provided under this subsection to pay all or a portion of the costs of the electronic monitoring, but only if the defendant has sufficient financial resources to pay the costs or a portion of the costs. A defendant subject to electronic monitoring under this subsection is not entitled to a credit for time served in a correctional facility while the defendant is on probation. In this subsection, “correctional facility” has the meaning given in AS 33.30.901.
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All |
"Sufficient financial resources to pay the costs or a portion of the costs." |
Not provided for | Not provided for | Not provided for | No | Not provided for |
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Alaska | Alaska Stat. § 09.19.010 | Limitation on Exemption From Filing Fees |
(c) Based on the submission under (b) of this section, the court may grant an exemption from part of the applicable filing fees if the court finds that exceptional circumstances prevent the prisoner from paying full filing fees. Imprisonment and indigency do not constitute exceptional circumstances if the prisoner has available income or resources that can be applied to the filing fee; (d) If the court orders an exemption under (c) of this section, the court shall determine the amount of the exemption and set a filing fee to be paid by the prisoner. In setting the fee, the court, at a minimum, shall require the prisoner to pay filing fees equal to 20 percent of the larger of the average monthly deposits made to the prisoner’s account described in (b)(2) of this section, or the average balance in that account, not to exceed the amount of the full filing fee required under applicable court rules.
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All |
"Exceptional circumstances prevent the prisoner from paying full filing fees" |
At defendant's request before imposition of fine or fee | Burden on defendant to show inability to pay | Administrative decision | No |
Fee is recalculated based on prisoner's resources. |
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Montana | Mont. Code Ann. § 3-1-317(2) | User surcharge for court information technology -- exception |
If a court determines that a defendant in a criminal case or determines pursuant to 25-10-404 that a party in a civil case is unable to pay the surcharge, the + See morecourt may waive payment of the surcharge imposed by this section.
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All | Not provided for | Not provided for | Not provided for | Not provided for | No |
Waive surcharge |
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Montana | Mont. Code Ann. § 3-1-318(2) | Surcharges upon certain criminal convictions -- exception |
A court may not waive payment of the surcharge unless the court determines that the defendant is unable to pay the surcharge. Inability to pay must be supported by a + See moresworn statement from the defendant demonstrating financial inability to pay without substantial hardship in providing for personal or family necessities. The statement is not admissible in the proceeding unless offered for impeachment purposes and is not admissible in a subsequent prosecution for perjury or false swearing.
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All |
Financial inability to pay without substantial hardship in providing for personal or family necessities |
Not provided for | Burden on defendant to show inability to pay | Not provided for | No |
Waive surcharge |
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Montana | Mont. Code Ann. § 45-6-101(2) | Criminal Mischief |
A person convicted of criminal mischief must be ordered to make restitution in an amount and manner to be set by the court. The court shall determine the manner and + See moreamount of restitution after full consideration of the convicted person's ability to pay the restitution.
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All | Not provided for | Before imposition of fine or fee | Not provided for | Not provided for | No |
Determine amount of restitution accordingly. |
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Montana | Mont. Code Ann. § 45-6-101(2) | Criminal Mischief |
Upon good cause shown by the convicted person, the court may modify any previous order specifying the amount and manner of restitution. Full payment of the amount of restitution ordered + See moremust be made prior to the release of state jurisdiction over the person convicted
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All | Not provided for | At defendant's request at enforcement | Burden on defendant to show inability to pay | Not provided for | No |
Modify previous order specifying the amount and manner of restitution. |
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Montana | Mont. Code Ann. § 46-18-241(3) | Condition of Restitution |
If at any time the court finds that, because of circumstances beyond the offender's control, the offender is not able to pay any restitution, the court may order the offender + See moreto perform community service during the time that the offender is unable to pay. The offender must be given a credit against restitution due at the rate of the hours of community service times the state minimum wage in effect at the time that the community service is performed.
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All | Not provided for | Not provided for | Not provided for | Not provided for | No |
Community service payable against restitution owed in amount equal to the minimum wage for each hour worked. |
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Montana | Mont. Code Ann. § 45-5-206(5) | Partner or Family Member Assault -- Penalty |
In addition to any sentence imposed under subsections (3) and (4), after determining the financial resources and future ability of the offender to pay restitution as provided for in 46-18-242, + See morethe court shall require the offender, if able, to pay the victim's reasonable actual medical, housing, wage loss, and counseling costs.
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Felony | Not provided for | Before imposition of fine or fee | Not provided for | Not provided for | Yes |
No payment of fee |
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Montana | Mont. Code Ann. § 45-5-206(6) | Partner or Family Member Assault -- Penalty |
In addition to the requirements of subsection (5), if financially able, the offender must be ordered to pay for the costs of the offender's probation, if probation is ordered by + See morethe court.
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Felony | Not provided for | Before imposition of fine or fee | Not provided for | Not provided for | Yes |
No payment of fee |
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Montana | Mont. Code Ann. § 45-5-503(5) | Sexual intercourse without consent |
In addition to any sentence imposed under subsection (2) or (3), after determining the financial resources and future ability of the offender to pay restitution as required by 46-18-242, the + See morecourt shall require the offender, if able, to pay the victim's reasonable medical and counseling costs that result from the offense. The amount, method, and time of payment must be determined in the same manner as provided for in 46-18-244.
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Felony | Not provided for | Before imposition of fine or fee | Not provided for | Not provided for | Yes |
Lower restitution amounts or alternative forms of restitution may be available |
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Montana | Mont. Code Ann. § 45-5-507(6) | Incest |
In addition to any sentence imposed under subsection (3), (4), or (5), after determining the financial resources and future ability of the offender to pay restitution as required by 46-18-242, + See morethe court shall require the offender, if able, to pay the victim's reasonable costs of counseling that result from the offense. The amount, method, and time of payment must be determined in the same manner as provided for in 46-18-244.
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Felony | Not provided for | Before imposition of fine or fee | Not provided for | Not provided for | Yes |
Lower restitution amounts or alternative forms of restitution may be available |
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Montana | Mont. Code Ann. § 45-5-621(3) | Nonsupport |
If a defense to the charge of nonsupport is inability to pay, the person's inability must be the result of circumstances over which the person had no control. In determining + See moreability to pay, after an allowance for the person's minimal subsistence needs, the support of a spouse, child, or other dependent has priority over any other obligations of the person.
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Misdemeanor, Felony | Not provided for | Before imposition of fine or fee | Burden on defendant to show inability to pay | Determined by judge after hearing | Yes |
This is a defense in a nonpayment case |
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Montana | Mont. Code Ann. § 45-5-621(13) | Nonsupport |
The court may order that a term of imprisonment imposed under this section be served in another facility made available by the county and approved by the sentencing court. The + See moreoffender, if financially able, shall bear the expense of the imprisonment.
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Felony | Not provided for | Before imposition of fine or fee | Not provided for | Not provided for | Yes |
No payment of fee |
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Montana | Mont. Code Ann. § 45-5-627(4) | Ritual abuse of minor--exceptions--penalty |
In addition to any sentence imposed under subsection (3), after determining pursuant to 46-18-242 the financial resources and future ability of the offender to pay restitution, the court shall require + See morethe offender, if able, to pay the victim's reasonable costs of counseling that result from the offense. The amount, method, and time of payment must be determined in the same manner as provided for in 46-18-244.
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Felony | Not provided for | Before imposition of fine or fee | Not provided for | Not provided for | Yes |
Lower restitution amounts or alternative forms of restitution may be available |
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.