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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Delaware 10 Del. C. §8603(a) Nonpayment of Costs

When a defendant who is required to pay the costs of defense defaults in the payment thereof or of any installment, the court on motion of the Attorney General or

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upon its own motion may require the defendant to show cause why the default should not be treated as contempt of court, and may issue a rule or order to show cause why such default should not be treated as contempt of court, and may take such further actions as the court determines to produce the defendant before the court.

All Not provided for At enforcement of fine or fee Burden on defendant to show inability to pay Determined by judge without hearing No

Additional Time for Payment; Reducing Payment or Installment Amount; Revoking Payment in Whole or Unpaid Part.

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Delaware 10 Del. C. §8603(d) Nonpayment of Costs

If it appears to the satisfaction of the court that the default in the payment of defense costs is not contempt, the court may enter an order allowing the defendant

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additional time for payment, reducing the amount thereof or of each installment, or revoking such payment or the unpaid portion thereof in whole or in part.

All Not provided for At enforcement of fine or fee Burden on defendant to show inability to pay Determined by judge without hearing No

Additional Time for Payment; Reducing Payment or Installment Amount; Revoking Payment in Whole or Unpaid Part.

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Delaware 10 Del. C. §8601(d) Recoupment of Costs

A defendant who has been required to pay the costs of defense and who is not in contumacious default in the payment thereof may at any time petition the court

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for remission of the payment of such costs, or of any unpaid portion thereof. If it appears to the satisfaction of the court that payment of the amount due will impose manifest hardship on the defendant or immediate family, the court may remit all or part of the amount due in costs, or modify the method of payment.

All

"Will impose manifest hardship on the defendant or immediate family."

At defendant's request at enforcement Burden on defendant to show inability to pay Determined by judge without hearing No

Remission of All or Part of Fee.

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Delaware 10 Del. C. § 8601(c) Recoupment of Costs

The court shall not require a defendant to pay the costs of defense unless the defendant is, or will be, able to pay them. In determining the amount and method

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of payment of such costs, the court shall take account of the financial resources of the defendant and the nature of the burden that payment of costs will impose.

All

"The court shall take account of the financial resources of the defendant and the nature of the burden that payment of costs will impose."

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

Defendant Not Required to Pay.

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Maryland Md. Code Ann., Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 7-201(b) Waiver of Fees for Indigent Petitioners
The circuit court shall pass an order waiving the payment in advance if: (1) Upon petition for waiver, it is satisfied that the petitioner is unable by reason of his
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poverty to make the payment; and (2) The petitioner's attorney, if any, certifies that the suit, appeal, or writ is meritorious.
All Not provided for At enforcement of fine or fee Not provided for Determined by judge after hearing No

Waiver of fee

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Maryland Md. Code Ann., Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 7-405 Waiver of Criminal Court Costs
The District Court or a circuit court in a criminal case may not waive any court costs imposed under § 7-409 of this subtitle unless the defendant establishes indigency as
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provided in the Maryland Rules.
All Not provided for At enforcement of fine or fee Not provided for Determined by judge after hearing No

Waiver of fee

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Maryland Md. Code Ann., Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 7-504(c)(2) Ability to Pay Fine
(a) A defendant who is unable to pay a fine ordered by a court may apply to the court for a reduction of the fine. (b) If a defendant
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fails or is unable to pay a fine as ordered by a court, the court may investigate the reasons for the failure or inability to pay the fine, including the defendant's financial and family situation and whether nonpayment of the fine is contumacious or is due to indigence. (c) After an investigation that a court considers necessary as to the reasons for the failure or inability to pay a fine, the court: (1) May order that the individual be committed to a correctional facility; (2) May reduce the fine to an amount that the court determines the defendant is able to pay; or (3) Subject to subsection (d) of this section, may direct that the individual be imprisoned until payment of: (i) The fine; or(ii) Part of the fine that is undischarged after a pro rata credit for time served instead of payment.
All Not provided for At enforcement of fine or fee Not provided for Determined by judge after hearing No

Commitment; Reduction of Fee; Incarceration until payment based upon a per diem rate

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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