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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Nevada Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 176.085   Reduction of excessive fine or administrative assessment; payment in installments.
Whenever, after a fine and administrative assessment have been imposed but before they have been discharged by payment or confinement, it is made to appear to the judge or justice
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imposing the fine or administrative assessment or his or her successor: 1.  That the fine or administrative assessment is excessive in relation to the financial resources of the defendant, the judge or justice or his or her successor may reduce the fine accordingly. 2.  That the discharge of the fine or administrative assessment is not within the defendant’s present financial ability to pay, the judge or justice or his or her successor may direct that the fine be paid in installments.
All

excessive in relation to the financial resources of the defendant; not withiin the defendant's present financial ability to pay

At enforcement of fine or fee Not provided for Not provided for No

Installment plan

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Nevada Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 484C.515 (2) Fee for specialty court programs
If the fee pursuant to subsection 1: (a) Is not within the defendant’s present ability to pay, the justice or judge may include in the sentence,
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in addition to any other penalty or administrative assessment provided by law, community service for a reasonable number of hours, the value of which would be commensurate with the fee. (b) Is not entirely within the defendant’s present ability to pay, the justice or judge may include in the sentence, in addition to any other penalty or administrative assessment provided by law, a reduced fee and community service for a reasonable number of hours, the value of which would be commensurate with the amount of the reduction of the fee.
Misdemeanor

not within the defendant’s present ability to pay; not entirely within the defendant's present ability to pay

Not provided for Not provided for Not provided for No

community service; reduced fee

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Nevada Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 209.4295 (2)-(3) Payment of cost of supervision and treatment; performance of community service as contribution toward cost; issuance of judgment for unpaid costs
2.  A court shall not refuse to place a probation violator in the diversion program if the probation violator does not have the financial resources to pay any or all of
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the related costs. 3.  The court may order a probation violator who is placed in the diversion program to perform a specified amount of community service upon release from the program to contribute toward the cost of his or her treatment and supervision. Any such community service must be performed for and under the supervising authority of a county, city, town or other political subdivision or agency of the State of Nevada or a charitable organization that renders service to the community or its residents.
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violator does not have the financial resources to pay any or all of the related costs

Not provided for Not provided for Not provided for Yes

community service

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Nevada Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 211A.130 (3) Fees for cost of supervision: Imposition; waiver or reduction
3.  If the chief determines that payment of the fee would result in economic hardship to a probationer or a supervised releasee, the chief may waive the imposition of, or reduce
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the amount of, the fee. If the chief waives the imposition of the fee, payment of the fee by the probationer or the supervised releasee does not constitute a condition of his or her suspended sentence, residential confinement or pretrial or presentence release.
All

economic hardship

Not provided for Not provided for Not provided for No

reduction or waiver of fee

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Nevada Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 213.1076 (2) Fee to defray costs of supervision; regulations; waiver
2.  The Chief may waive the fee to defray the cost of supervision, in whole or in part, if the Chief determines that payment of the fee would create an economic
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hardship on the parolee, probationer or person supervised by the Division through residential confinement.
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economic hardship

Not provided for Not provided for Not provided for No

reduction or waiver of fee

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Nevada Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 209.4886 (4) Participation in judicial program: Referral of offender to reentry court; powers and duties of Director; regulations; reimbursement of costs; effect of violation of terms and conditions; status of offender
The Director shall adopt regulations requiring offenders who are assigned to the custody of the Division pursuant to this section to reimburse the reentry court, the Division and the Department
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for the cost of their participation in a judicial program, to the extent of their ability to pay.
All Not provided for Not provided for Not provided for Not provided for Yes Not provided for
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Nevada Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 176.139 (7) Presentence investigation and report: Psychosexual evaluation of certain sex offenders required; standards and methods for conducting evaluation; access to records; rights of confidentiality and privileges deemed waived; costs
If a psychosexual evaluation is conducted pursuant to this section, the court shall: (a) Order the defendant, to the extent of the defendant’s financial ability, to
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pay for the cost of the psychosexual evaluation; or (b) If the defendant was less than 18 years of age when the sexual offense was committed and the defendant was certified and convicted as an adult, order the parents or guardians of the defendant, to the extent of their financial ability, to pay for the cost of the psychosexual evaluation. For the purposes of this paragraph, the court has jurisdiction over the parents or guardians of the defendant to the extent that is necessary to carry out the provisions of this paragraph.
All Not provided for Not provided for Not provided for Not provided for Yes Not provided for
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Rhode Island R.I. Gen. Laws. Ann. § 12-20-10(b) Remission of costs -- Prohibition against remitting restitution to victims of crime -- Ability to pay -- Indigency

(b)  For purposes of §§ 12-18.1-3(d), 12-21-20, 12-25-28(b), 21-28-4.01(c)(3)(iv) and 21-28-4.17.1, the following conditions shall be prima facie evidence of the defendant's indigency and limited ability to pay:

(1)  Qualification for and/or receipt of any of the following benefits

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or services by the defendant: (i)  temporary assistance to needy families (ii)  social security including supplemental security income and state supplemental payments program; (iii)  public assistance (iv)  disability insurance; or (v)  food stamps

(2)  Despite the defendant's good faith efforts to pay, outstanding court orders for payment in the amount of one-hundred dollars ($ 100) or more for any of the following: (i)  restitution payments to the victims of crime; (ii)  child support payments; or (iii)  payments for any counseling required as a condition of the sentence imposed including, but not limited to, substance abuse, mental health, and domestic violence.

All

Indigency; Qualification for and/or receipt of temporary assistance to needy families, social security including supplemental security income and state supplemental payments program, public assistance, disability insurance; or food stamps; outstanding court orders for

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payment in the amount of one-hundred dollars ($ 100) or more for restitution payments to the victims of crime, child support payments; or payments for any counseling required as a condition of the sentence imposed including, but not limited to, substance abuse, mental health, and domestic violence.

Not provided for Not provided for Not provided for Yes

N/A

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Rhode Island R.I. Gen. Laws. Ann. § 12-21-20 Order to pay costs and determination of ability to pay

(a) If, upon any complaint or prosecution before any court, the defendant shall be ordered to pay a fine, enter into a recognizance or suffer any penalty or forfeiture, he or

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she shall also be ordered to pay all costs of prosecution, unless directed otherwise by law.

(b) In superior court, the judge shall make a preliminary assessment of the defendant's ability to pay immediately after sentencing by use of the procedures specified in this section.

(c) In district court, the judge shall make a preliminary assessment of the defendant's ability to pay immediately after sentencing or nearly thereafter as practicable by use of the procedures specified in this section.

(d) The defendant's ability to pay and payment schedule shall be determined by use of standardized procedures including a financial assessment instrument. The financial assessment instrument shall be: (1) based upon sound and generally accepted accounting principles; (2) completed based on a personal interview of the defendant and includes any and all relevant information relating to the defendant's present ability to pay including, but not limited to, the information contained in § 12-20-10; and (3) made by the defendant under oath.

(e) The financial instrument may, from time to time and after hearing, be modified by the court.

(f) When persons come before the court for failure to pay fines, fees, assessments and other costs of prosecution, or court ordered restitution, and their ability to pay and payment schedule has not been previously determined, the judge, the clerk of the court, or their designee shall make these determinations by use of the procedures specified in this section.

(g) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the court's ability, after hearing in open court, to revise findings about a person's ability to pay and payment schedule made by the clerk of the court or designee, based upon the receipt of newly available, relevant, or other information.

All

Not provided for

Before imposition of fine or fee Not provided for Determined by judge without hearing No

N/A

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Rhode Island R.I. Gen. Laws. Ann. § 12-19-32 Restitution

In addition to or in lieu of any non-mandatory sanction imposed as part of a sentence or as a condition of probation, a judge at the time of sentencing may

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order restitution which may be in the form of monetary payment or some type of community restitution. Provided, that any person sentenced to a period of incarceration at the adult correctional institutions shall be ineligible to participate in those programs established pursuant to chapter 8 of title 13, sections 42-56-20.2, 42-56-20.3 or 42-56-21, unless and until the restitution has been paid in full, or satisfactory arrangements have been made with the court if the person has the ability to pay. 

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Not provided for

Not provided for Not provided for Not provided for No

Able to participate in programs without satisfying restitution payments.