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State Citation Description/Statute Name Question Brief answer Language from the opinion When does the case apply?
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Michigan Mich. Op. Att'y Gen. (1998) Opinion No. 6995 Michigan-Attorney General opinion Other applicable opinions
A prosecutor is not authorized by law to require a criminal defendant to pay costs as a condition for reducing or dismissing criminal charges pending against the defendant. A court
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may, however, when sentencing a convicted defendant, impose such costs as are permitted by statute, including those permissible costs agreed to between the prosecutor and the defendant as part of a plea bargain.
Criminal prosecutions are governed by the Michigan Code of Criminal Procedure (Code), 1927 PA 175, MCL 760.1 et seq; MSA 28.841 et seq. The Code, at Chapter XI, MCL 771.1
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et seq; MSA 28.1131 et seq, authorizes the imposition of costs in criminal cases. If a defendant has been found guilty, and if it appears to the satisfaction of the court that the defendant is an appropriate candidate, the court may place the defendant on probation. Section 1. As a condition of probation, the court may require the defendant to pay costs. Section 3(2)(c). Such costs, however, are limited to expenses specifically incurred in prosecuting the defendant, in providing legal assistance to the defendant, and in providing probation supervision of the defendant. Section 3(4).
Fines and fees
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Michigan Mich. Op. Att'y Gen. (2008) Opinion No. 7217 Michigan-Attorney General opinion The use of funds from criminal fines and assessments are restricted by provisions of the Michigan State Constitution.
However, the Legislature should be aware of the limitations imposed by Const 1963, art 8, § 9, which requires that fines assessed for any breach of the penal laws be
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used to support libraries. If excess revenue in the Crime Victim's Rights Fund is used for purposes other than to enforce and pay for the crime victim rights enumerated in art 1, § 24, the use could face scrutiny to determine if the assessments conflict with art 8, § 9 or other constitutional provisions. . . . Therefore, to the extent that the Legislature intends to authorize uses of the Fund to pay for the constitutionally enumerated crime victim's rights, it must consider whether each proposed use is within the language of art 1, § 24, given the principles of constitutional construction that guide the Court.
Fines and fees
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Ohio 1990 Ohio Op. Atty. Gen. No. 90-088 (Nov. 14 1990) Fines and fees Does allowing different municipalities to set their own indigency standards or fines/fees violate the equal protection afforded by the state’s constitution? Indigency should be determined on a case-by-case basis, not through set standards
A gleaning of the aforementioned authorities clearly reveals that there are no set criteria for determining whether an individual is indigent. Rather, the preferred approach is to determine indigency on
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a case by case basis so as to accord attention to any and all factors tending to indicate an individual's financial condition. . . . [T]he the criteria for determining . . . whether an individual is indigent, include the ready availability of real or personal property owned; employment benefits; pensions; annuities; social security; unemployment compensation; inheritances; number and age of dependents; outstanding debts, obligations and liabilities; and any other relevant considerations concerning the financial condition of an individual.
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Ohio no fines and fees Which fines and/or fees may be collected by a private vendor?
Neither the courts nor the State AG has considered this question. However, the Ohio Revised Code provides that both misdemeanor fines, § 2928.18(F) and felony fines, § 2928.28(G)(1), may be
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collected by private vendors
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Ohio no ability to pay Who has the burden of proof in an ability to pay determination? What is the standard of proof required? See Case Law: Liming v. Damos, 979 N.E.2d 297 (Ohio 2012) Fines and fees
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Ohio no Ohio-Attorney General opinion Should ability to pay be considered when imposing fines or fees or only when collecting fines or fees? See Case Law: State v. Meyer, 706 N.E.2d 378, 380 (1997); Ohio Rev. Code § 2947.14 ability to pay Fines and fees
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Ohio 2012 Ohio Op. Att'y Gen. No. 2012-039 (Nov. 14, 2012) fines and fees What authority do county or municipal courts have to set fines or fees? County courts can use their fining power to fund various projects, programs, and services of the court
Although a county court has authority to use a special projects fund established under R.C. 1907.24(B)(1) to finance community service programs, nothing in the Ohio Constitution, Revised Code, Ohio Rules
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of Criminal Procedure, or Rules of Superintendence for the Courts of Ohio directs the manner in which a county court may use moneys in a special projects fund to provide such financing. This means that the judges of a county court have the discretion and implied power to use special projects fund moneys in whatever manner is reasonably necessary to make community service programs available to persons who are convicted of, or plead guilty to, a misdemeanor.
Fines and fees
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Ohio no Fines and fees What authority does the state supreme court have to impose binding state-wide rules on the imposition or collection of fees and fines?
This has not been considered by courts or the State AG. But the Ohio Supreme Court issues "bench cards" guiding the lower courts on how to implement fines. See, e.g.,
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The Supreme Court of Ohio, Office of Judicial Services, Collection of Fines and Court Costs (2014)
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Ohio no no Under what circumstances does a conflict of interest in the imposition or enforcement of court debt violate state law? This has not been considered to date
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North Carolina N.C.A.G. Mar. 21, 1996 RE: Advisory Opinion; Exceptions to Statutory Exemptions for Execution of Judgment on Criminal Restitution Orders Other applicable opinions North Carolina is not barred from structuring a program to collect costs; however, the state's initiatives, must be narrowly drawn so as to avoid chilling the indigent's right to counsel
North Carolina [is not] barred from structuring a program to collect the amount it is owed from a financially-able defendant through reasonable and fairly administered procedures. The state's initiatives in
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this area naturally must be narrowly drawn to avoid either chilling the indigent's exercise of the right to counsel, or creating discriminating terms of repayment based solely on the defendant's poverty. Beyond these threshold requirements, however, the State has wide latitude to shape its attorneys fees recoupment or restitution program along the lines it deems most appropriate for achieving lawful state objectives. Id. at 123-124. (emphasis added.)
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North Carolina N.C.A.G. June 10, 1980 Criminal Law and Procedure; Sentences; Probation; Restitution; Bankruptcy Proceedings Person who received illegal gains as a part of criminal activity may not discharge legal financial obligations in bankruptcy
It would thus be against our statute and public policy to permit a defendant who has received illegal gains and who was ordered to make restitution as a condition of
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his sentence to vacate such conditions by a discharge in bankruptcy." People v. Mosesson, 356 N.Y.S. 2d 483, 484-85, (1974). See also: People on Inf. of Anerbach v. Topping Bros., 359 N.Y.S. 2d 985 (1974).
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New Mexico State v. Mabry, 630 P.2d 269, 273 (N.M. 1981)
"[T]he scope of our review is here limited to whether the Legislature had the power to enact these statutes. It has long been recognized in this state that it is
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solely within the province of the Legislature to establish penalties for criminal behavior."
Under what circumstances does a conflict of interest in the imposition or enforcement of court debt violate state law? Courts can seemingly impose or enforce any court debt that is permitted by the legislature revenue flow
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South Carolina S.C.A.G. Oct. 8, 2012 (informal opinion) Civil contempt
Are the same procedural protections that are required in criminal proceedings required in civil collection/contempt proceedings arising from criminal justice debt when those proceedings may result in incarceration? What if
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the proceedings may only result in additional fines or non-incarceration penalties?
No - the rationale for punishment based on contempt proceedings rather than criminal proceedings is different
The principal purpose of criminal contempt is punishment. In civil contempt, however, the contemnors "carry the keys of prison in their own pockets" as the contempt serves to secure "compliance
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with judicial decrees." 287 S.E.2d at 919. The Court concluded that "[t]he conditional nature of the imprisonment, based entirely upon appellant's refusal to pay respondent's expenses, justified the civil contempt proceeding without a jury trial.
Enforcement
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South Carolina S.C.A.G. July 15, 1996 (informal opinion) Setting fees Does allowing different municipalities to set their own indigency standards or fines/fees violate the equal protection afforded by the state’s constitution? Not answered as to indigency - however, municipalities cannot set their own fees not in accordance with State statutes
it is the opinion of this Office that all fee schedules used in the various counties based upon ordinances and special statutes are unconstitutional and that the only fee schedule
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available for the services enumerated is to be found under South Carolina Code Section 27-53 (1976) [replaced by Act No. 164 of 1979]
Fines and fees
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South Carolina Robert L. McCrudy, S.C.A.G. Dec. 14, 1999 (informal opinion) Collection by private vendor Which fines and/or fees may be collected by a private vendor? Collection of criminal fines and fees are the job of the magistrate
With respect to the physical collection and handling ofpublic monies such as fines, restitution, etc. such should be done exclusively by the court and its officers rather than by the
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company, in the absence of legislative authorization therefore.
Enforcement
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South Carolina 1987 S.C. Op. Att'y Gen. 255 (1987) Bearden Should ability to pay be considered when imposing fines or fees or only when collecting fines or fees? Not answered - however, cannot implement a surcharge if defendant fails to pay fee
In the circumstances where an indigent fails to comply with the schedule of payments established by the court and the court determines that the indigent has wilfully refused to pay
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or failed to make bona fide efforts to pay, the court is authorized to imprison the defendant for contempt. As provided in Section 17–25–350, where part of the fine has been paid, the imprisonment cannot exceed the remaining pro rata portion of the sentence. I am unaware of any basis for a court to impose a fine in addition to the sentence originally imposed.
Ability to pay
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South Carolina 1978 S.C. Op. Att'y Gen. 140 (1978) South Carolina-Attorney General opinion What authority do county or municipal courts have to set fines or fees? By implication, they may set fees at least as far as reimbursement for public defense
Since the Defense of Indigents Act, supra, does not prohibit the municipal court from ordering reimbursement as a condition of suspended sentences and since such orders are not generally unconstitutional
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or improper, it is the opinion of this Office that certain municipal courts may order as a condition of a suspended sentence, a convicted indigent defendant to reimburse the Judicial Department for the costs of his representation by a public defender, pursuant to Section 17–3–40 of the Code of Laws.
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Oklahoma 1999 OK AG 58 Open Records Act Other applicable opinions
1. The Oklahoma Open Records Act applies to criminal pleadings
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2. Courts and District Attorneys must provie "prompt reasonable access" 3. District Attorneys must maintain confidential records
¶15 It is, therefore, the Opinion of the Attorney General that: 1. The pleadings in a criminal case, particularly the information, are "records" within the meaning of the Oklahoma Open
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Records Act, 51 O.S. 24A.3 (1998). A court clerk must make such pleadings available for public inspection and copying once the district attorney has filed the pleading with the court clerk, 51 O.S. 24A.5 (1998), unless the pleading has been sealed by a court or is protected by a privilege of confidentiality, such as the confidentiality of a grand jury indictment by 22 O.S. 385, until such time as the order of the court expires or is removed and until the grand jury indictment is made public pursuant to statutory provision. A district attorney may keep information contained within the district attorney's litigation files confidential and so not disclose an information or other pleadings. See 51 O.S. 24A.12 (1991). 2. A court clerk or district attorney has no authority to withhold public records from inspection and copying. Such officers must provide "prompt, reasonable access" to the public pursuant to 51 O.S. 24A.5 (1998). This generally may include only the time required to locate and compile such public records. Id. 3. A district attorney may keep confidential records contained in the litigation files of that office. Police departments are not required to provide public access to records of the police department except as provided in Section 51 O.S. 24A.8 of the Open Records Act or pursuant to court order. Neither a district attorney nor a police department must make available for public inspection and copying a record which includes a list of all charges contained in an information. See 51 O.S. 24A.2 - 51 O.S. 24A.8 and 51 O.S. 24A.12 (1998).
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Wisconsin 1995 WL 264119 (Wis.A.G.) Forfeitures What authority does the state supreme court have to impose binding state-wide rules on the imposition or collection of fees and fines? Unclear with regard to fines and fees, but uniformity regarding the recovery of forfeitures.
Section 799.01 provides in part: (b) Forfeitures. Actions to recover forfeitures except as a different procedure is prescribed in chs. 23, 66, 345 and 778, or elsewhere, and such different procedures
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shall apply equally to the state, a county or a municipality regardless of any limitation contained therein.
Revenue flow