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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See all ability to pay policy recommendations in CJPP’s Policy Guide
State
- Alabama (12)
- Alaska (8)
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- Colorado (29)
- Connecticut (19)
- (-) Delaware (4)
- Florida (36)
- Georgia (14)
- Hawaii (14)
- Idaho (15)
- Illinois (23)
- Indiana (15)
- Iowa (12)
- Kansas (6)
- Kentucky (17)
- Louisiana (10)
- Maine (9)
- Maryland (3)
- Massachusetts (39)
- Michigan (17)
- Minnesota (14)
- (-) Mississippi (8)
- Missouri (15)
- Montana (29)
- Nebraska (14)
- Nevada (7)
- New Hampshire (29)
- New Jersey (9)
- New Mexico (14)
- New York (8)
- North Carolina (14)
- North Dakota (14)
- Ohio (32)
- (-) Oklahoma (10)
- Oregon (13)
- Pennsylvania (6)
- Rhode Island (3)
- South Carolina (17)
- South Dakota (10)
- Tennessee (11)
- Texas (17)
- Utah (5)
- 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.
22 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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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 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.
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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 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.
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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 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.
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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 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.
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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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Mississippi | Miss. Code Ann. § 99-19-20 (2) | Fines; payment; indigent defendants; inability to work or unavailability of work |
The defendant shall not be imprisoned if the defendant is financially unable to pay a fine and so states to the court in writing, under oath, after sentence is pronounced, + See moreand the court so finds
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All | Not provided for | At defendant's request at enforcement | Burden on defendant to show inability to pay | Other | Yes |
work for the county |
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Mississippi | Miss. Code Ann. § 99-5-38 (8) | community service |
The court may allow a defendant to perform community service in lieu of paying the costs required by subsection (2)(b) or (c) if the court determines that the defendant is + See moreindigent.
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Felony |
indigence |
Not provided for | Not provided for | Not provided for | No |
community service |
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Mississippi | Miss. Code Ann. § 63-11-31 (7)(a) | Interlock Device Fund |
The Department of Public Safety shall promulgate rules and regulations for the use of monies in the Interlock Device Fund to offset the cost of device installation and operation by + See moreand court-ordered drug testing of indigent offenders.
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Misdemeanor |
inadequate resources to pay; participation in public assistance programs |
Not provided for | Burden on government to show ability to pay | Administrative decision | Yes |
Interlock Device Fund |
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Mississippi | Miss. Code Ann. § 47-7-49 (1) | hardship waiver |
A hardship waiver may be granted by the sentencing court or the Department of Corrections. A hardship waiver may not be granted for a period of time exceeding ninety (90) + See moredays.
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Misdemeanor |
inability to pay |
At defendant's request at enforcement | Not provided for | Not provided for | Yes |
hardship waiver |
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Mississippi | Miss. Code Ann. § 47-5-1007 (1)(a) | Waiver | The department may waive the monthly fee if the offender is a full-time student or is engaged in vocational training. | Misdemeanor |
full-time student |
Not provided for | Not provided for | Not provided for | Yes |
waiver |
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Mississippi | Miss. Code Ann. § 47-5-1007 (1)(b) | sliding scale | based on a sliding scale using the standard of need for each family that is used to calculate TANF benefits | Misdemeanor |
TANF benefits recipient |
Not provided for | Not provided for | Other | Yes |
sliding scale for payment |
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Mississippi | Miss. Code Ann. § 47-5-1013 (a) | waiver |
The sentencing judge may charge a program fee of less than Eighty-eight Dollars ($ 88.00) per month in cases of extreme financial hardship, when such judge determines that the offender's + See moreparticipation in the program would provide a benefit to his community.
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Misdemeanor |
extreme financial hardship |
Not provided for | Not provided for | Not provided for | No |
lower fee |
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Mississippi | Miss. Code Ann. § 99-37-3(2) | Imposition and amount |
In determining whether to order restitution which may be complete, partial or nominal, the court shall take into account:(a) The financial resources of the defendant and the burden that payment + See moreof restitution will impose, with due regard to the other obligations of the defendant;
(b) The ability of the defendant to pay restitution on an installment basis or on other conditions to be fixed by the court; and
(c) The rehabilitative effect on the defendant of the payment of restitution and the method of payment.
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All |
ability of defendant to pay on installment basis, financial resources of the defendant, burden of payment |
Before imposition of fine or fee | Not provided for | Not provided for | Yes |
installment plan, reduction of amount, or waiver |
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Oklahoma | Okla. Stat. tit. 22, § 988.9 | Fees and costs |
In hardship cases the supervising agency may expressly waive all or part of the fee. No supervising agency participating in a local community sentencing system shall deny any offender supervision + See moreservices for the sole reason that the offender is indigent.
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All | Not provided for | Not provided for | Not provided for | Administrative decision | No |
Waiver of fee |
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Oklahoma | Okla. Stat. tit. 22, § 991a(A)(4) | Sentencing powers of court--Alcohol and drug assessment and evaluation--Restitution, fines, or incarceration--Victim impact statements--Probation and monitoring--DNA samples |
if, in the opinion of the court, the defendant is able to pay without imposing manifest hardship on the defendant, and if the costs incurred by the Bureau during the + See moreinvestigation of the defendant's case may be determined with reasonable certainty;
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All | Not provided for | Not provided for | Not provided for | Other | Yes |
None specified |
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Oklahoma | Okla. Stat. tit. 22, § 471.6H | Final eligibility hearing--Acceptance into program--Duration of participation--Costs and fees--Driving privileges |
Court orders for costs and fees shall remain an obligation of the offender until fully paid; provided, however, once the offender has successfully completed the drug court program, the drug + See morecourt judge shall have the discretion to expressly waive all or part of the costs and fees provided for in this subsection if, in the opinion of the drug court judge, continued payment of the costs and fees by the offender would create a financial hardship for the offender. Offenders who have not fully paid all costs and fees pursuant to court order but who have otherwise successfully completed the drug court program shall not be counted as an active drug court participant for purposes of drug court contracts or program participant numbers.
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All |
No financial hardship |
At enforcement of fine or fee | Not provided for | Not provided for | No |
Waiver of fee |
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Oklahoma | Okla. Stat. tit. 22, § 60.2C | Protective order--Petition--Complaint requirement for certain stalking victims--Fees | the court shall have authority to waive the costs and fees if the court finds that the party does not have the ability to pay the costs and fees. | All | Not provided for | Not provided for | Not provided for | Not provided for | No |
Waiver of costs |
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Oklahoma | Okla. Stat. tit. 22, § 1355.14E | Payment of costs of representation--Fee schedule |
The fees shall be assessed unless ordered waived upon good cause shown by the indigent person, or unless another amount is specifically requested by counsel for the indigent person and + See moreis approved by the court.
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All |
Not indigent |
At defendant's request before imposition of fine or fee | Burden on defendant to show inability to pay | Not provided for | No |
Waiver of fee |
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Oklahoma | Okla. Stat. tit. 10A, § 1-4-701A | Reimbursements and costs by parents able to pay | Upon notice to the parent or other person legally obligated to support the child and upon an opportunity to be heard and a finding of financial ability to pay | All | Not provided for | Before imposition of fine or fee | Not provided for | Determined by judge after hearing | Yes |
None specified |
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Oklahoma | Okla. Stat. tit. 22, § 1355A | Application for representation by the System |
except that the court may, based upon the financial information submitted, defer all or part of the fee if the court determines that the person does not have the financial + See moreresources to pay the fee at time of application, to attach as a court fee upon conviction.
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All | Not provided for | At enforcement of fine or fee | Burden on defendant to show inability to pay | Determined by judge without hearing | No |
Deferment of fee |
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Oklahoma | Okla. Stat. tit. 22, § 979a | Payment of jail costs by inmate | The defendant shall have an opportunity to object to the amount of costs solely on the grounds that the number of days served is incorrect. | All |
None. Defendant can only object on the grounds that the number of days served is incorrect. |
Not provided for | Burden on defendant to show inability to pay | Not provided for | Yes |
Waiver of fee |
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.