50-State Criminal Justice Debt Reform Builder Bringing transparency to areas of significant legal complexity.
Ability to Pay
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.
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- Alabama (1)
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- Washington DC (2)
- West Virginia (12)
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- Wyoming (8)
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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.
17 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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Connecticut | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-56i(g) | Pretrial drug education and community service program. |
No person may be excluded from any such program for inability to pay such fee or cost, provided (1) such person files with the court an affidavit of indigency or + See moreinability to pay, (2) such indigency or inability to pay is confirmed by the Court Support Services Division, and (3) the court enters a finding thereof. The court may waive all or any portion of such fee depending on such persons ability to pay. If the court finds that a person is indigent or unable to pay for a substance abuse treatment program, the costs of such program shall be paid from the pretrial account established under section 54-56k.
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indigency |
Before imposition of fine or fee | Burden on defendant to show inability to pay | Not provided for | Yes |
costs of such program shall be paid from the pretrial account |
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Connecticut | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-147 | Rules for payment of expenses. Waiver of fee or cost. |
(a) The judges of the Superior Court may establish rules, in addition to those established by statute, for the payment of the expenses of all criminal proceedings or prosecutions, except + See moresuch expenses as are incurred by the Division of Criminal Justice.(b) No fee or cost imposed pursuant to any provision of the general statutes on a person who is a defendant or has been convicted in a criminal proceeding or prosecution shall be waived by the court, except as authorized by such provision or for good cause shown.
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All |
"good cause shown" to waive fees |
Before imposition of fine or fee | Burden on defendant to show inability to pay | Not provided for | No |
waiver of fee or cost |
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Connecticut | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 17a-696(e) | Order for suspension of prosecution and treatment for alcohol or drug dependency. |
. . . (4) the accused person, unless such accused person is indigent, has paid to the clerk of the court an administration fee of twenty-five dollars. |
All |
indigent |
Before imposition of fine or fee | Not provided for | Not provided for | Yes |
waiver of fee |
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Connecticut | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 17a-696(e) | Order for suspension of prosecution and treatment for alcohol or drug dependency. |
The accused person shall, unless indigent, pay the cost of treatment ordered under this section. |
All |
indigent |
Before imposition of fine or fee | Not provided for | Not provided for | Yes |
waiver of cost of treatment |
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Connecticut | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-56i(i) | Pretrial drug education and community service program (program reinstatement fees) |
. . . Unless good cause is shown, such program fee shall not be waived. |
All |
"good cause" |
Before imposition of fine or fee | Burden on defendant to show inability to pay | Not provided for | No |
waiver of fees |
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Connecticut | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-56e(e) | Accelerated pretrial rehabilitation |
. . . No person may be excluded from such program for inability to pay such fee, provided (1) such person files with the court an affidavit of indigency or inability to pay, (2) such indigency or inability to pay is confirmed by the Court Support Services Division, and (3) the court enters a finding thereof.
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All |
indigency |
Before imposition of fine or fee | Burden on defendant to show inability to pay | Not provided for | Yes |
admission to program without paying fees |
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Connecticut | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-56g(g) | Pretrial alcohol education program (victim impact panel program fees) |
. . . provided such organization shall offer a hardship waiver when it has determined that the imposition of a fee would pose an economic hardship for such person. |
All |
economic hardship |
Before imposition of fine or fee | Not provided for | Not provided for | Yes |
hardship waiver |
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Connecticut | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-56g(e) | Pretrial alcohol education program (reinstatement fees) |
. . . Unless good cause is shown, such fees shall not be waived. |
All |
"good cause" |
Before imposition of fine or fee | Burden on defendant to show inability to pay | Not provided for | No |
waiver of fees |
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Connecticut | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-56g(c) | Pretrial alcohol education program |
. . . No person may be excluded from either program for inability to pay such fee or cost, provided (1) such person files with the court an affidavit of indigency or inability to pay, (2) such indigency or inability to pay is confirmed by the Court Support Services Division, and (3) the court enters a finding thereof. If the court finds that a person is indigent or unable to pay for a treatment program, the costs of such program shall be paid from the pretrial account established under section 54-56k. If the court finds that a person is indigent or unable to pay for an intervention program, the court may waive all or any portion of the fee for such intervention program.
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All |
indigency |
Before imposition of fine or fee | Burden on defendant to show inability to pay | Not provided for | Yes |
costs of such program shall be paid from the pretrial account |
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Connecticut | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-56j(f) | Pretrial school violence prevention program. |
. . . no student shall be excluded from such program for inability to pay such cost provided (1) the parent or guardian of such student files with the court an affidavit of indigency or inability to pay, and (2) the court enters a finding thereof.
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All |
indigency |
Before imposition of fine or fee | Burden on defendant to show inability to pay | Not provided for | Yes |
admission to program without paying fees |
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Connecticut | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-125f(d) | Pilot zero-tolerance drug supervision program. |
. . . if the participant is determined to be indigent, based upon financial affidavits, the Board of Pardons and Paroles shall pay the cost of the test |
All |
indigent, based upon financial affidavits |
Before imposition of fine or fee | Not provided for | Administrative decision | Yes |
Department of Correction shall pay the cost |
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Connecticut | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 46b-38c(i) | Pretrial family violence education program; fees. |
. . . no person shall be excluded from such program for inability to pay any such fee, provided (1) the person files with the court an affidavit of indigency or inability to pay, and (2) the court enters a finding thereof
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All |
indigency |
Before imposition of fine or fee | Burden on defendant to show inability to pay | Not provided for | Yes |
admission to program without paying fees |
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Connecticut | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 18-100e(d) | Pilot zero-tolerance drug supervision program (urinalysis fee) |
(d) Any person who has submitted to a urinalysis drug test pursuant to subsection (c) of this section that produced a positive result may request that a second urinalysis drug test be administered, at such persons expense, to confirm the results of the first test, except that if the participant is determined to be indigent, based upon financial affidavits, the Department of Correction shall pay the cost of the test. The second drug test shall be a urinalysis drug test, separate and independent of the initial test.
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All |
indigent, based upon financial affidavits |
Before imposition of fine or fee | Not provided for | Administrative decision | Yes |
Department of Correction shall pay the cost |
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Connecticut | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-28(c) | Authorized sentences. |
. . . In determining the appropriate terms of financial restitution, the court shall consider: (A) The financial resources of the offender and the burden restitution will place on other obligations of the offender; (B) the offenders ability to pay based on installments or other conditions; (C) the rehabilitative effect on the offender of the payment of restitution and the method of payment; and (D) other circumstances, including the financial burden and impact on the victim, that the court determines make the terms of restitution appropriate. If the court determines that the current financial resources of the offender or the offenders current ability to pay based on installments or other conditions are such that no appropriate terms of restitution can be determined, the court may forego setting such terms.
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All |
current financial resources of the offender or the offenders current ability to pay based on installments or other conditions are such that no appropriate terms of restitution can be determined |
Before imposition of fine or fee | Not provided for | Not provided for | Yes |
The court may forgo setting restitution |
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Connecticut | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-39c(b) | Community service labor program. |
. . . no person may be excluded from such program for inability to pay such fee, provided (1) such person files with the court an affidavit of indigency or inability to pay, (2) such indigency is confirmed by the Court Support Services Division, and (3) the court enters a finding thereof.
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All |
indigency |
Before imposition of fine or fee | Burden on defendant to show inability to pay | Not provided for | Yes |
admission to program without paying fees |
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Connecticut | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-147 | Rules for payment of expenses. Waiver of fee or cost. |
(b) No fee or cost imposed pursuant to any provision of the general statutes on a person who is a defendant or has been convicted in a criminal proceeding or prosecution shall be waived by the court, except as authorized by such provision or for good cause shown.
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All |
"good cause" |
Before imposition of fine or fee | Burden on defendant to show inability to pay | Not provided for | No |
waiver of fees |
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South Dakota | S.D. Codified Laws § 23A-28-3 | Plan of restitution--Present inability to make restitution--No pecuniary damages suffered--Hearing--Condition of parole |
If the sentencing court orders the defendant to the county jail, suspended imposition of sentence, suspended sentence, or probation, the court may require as a condition that the defendant, in cooperation with the court services officer assigned to the defendant, promptly prepare a plan of restitution, including the name and address of each victim, a specific amount of restitution to each victim, and a schedule of restitution payments. If the defendant is presently unable to make any restitution, but there is a reasonable possibility that the defendant may be able to do so at some time during the defendant's probation period, the plan of restitution shall also state the conditions under which or the event after which the defendant will make restitution. If the defendant believes that no person suffered pecuniary damages as a result of the defendant's criminal activities, the defendant shall so state. If the defendant contests the amount of restitution recommended by the court services officer, the defendant is entitled to a hearing at which the court shall determine the amount. If the sentencing court orders the defendant to the state penitentiary and does not suspend the sentence, the court shall set forth in the judgment the names and specific amount of restitution owed each victim. The Department of Corrections shall establish the collection schedule for court-ordered restitution while the defendant is in the penitentiary and on parole. The Board of Pardons and Paroles shall require, as a condition of parole, that the defendant pay restitution ordered by the court.
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All | Not provided for | Before imposition of fine or fee | Not provided for | Administrative decision | No |
Payment plan/delay start of payments until later date. |
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.