Poverty Penalties and Poverty Traps

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State Statute Description/Statute Name Statutory language Type of poverty penalty or poverty trap Level of offense Mandatory
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Virginia Va. Code Ann. § 8.01-458 Property Lien
Every judgment for money rendered in this Commonwealth by any state or federal court or by confession of judgment, as provided by law, shall be a lien on all the
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real estate of or to which the defendant in the judgment is or becomes possessed or entitled, from the time such judgment is recorded on the judgment lien docket of the clerk's office of the county or city where such land is situated
Property liens All Yes
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Virginia Va. Code Ann. § 8.01-466 Execution of writ of fieri facias
On a judgment for money, it shall be the duty of the clerk of the court in which such judgment was rendered, upon request of the judgment creditor, his assignee
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or his attorney, to issue a writ of fieri facias at the expiration of twenty-one days from the date of the entry of the judgment and place the same in the hands of a proper person to be executed and take his receipt therefor.
Property liens All Yes
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Virginia Va. Code Ann. § 8.01-478 Liens on money and bank notes
The writ of fieri facias may be levied as well on the current money and bank notes, as on the goods and chattels of the judgment debtor, except such as
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are exempt from levy under Title 34, and shall bind what is capable of being levied on only from the time it is actually levied by the officer to whom it has been delivered to be executed.
Property liens All No
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Virginia Va. Code Ann. § 16.1-69.24 Contempt fine
A judge of a district court shall have the same powers and jurisdiction as a judge of a circuit court to punish summarily for contempt, but in no case shall
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the fine exceed $250
Increased fine All No
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Virginia Va. Code Ann. § 16.1-69.24 Contempt incarceration
A judge of a district court shall have the same powers and jurisdiction as a judge of a circuit court to punish summarily for contempt, but in no case shall
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the...imprisonment exceed ten days for the same contempt.
Incarceration All No
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Virginia Va. Code Ann. § 58.1-523 Set off of tax refund
Subject to the limitations contained in this article, the Department, upon request, shall render assistance in the collection of any delinquent account or debt owing to any claimant agency. This
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assistance shall be provided by setting off any refunds belonging to the debtor from the Department by the sum certified by the claimant agency as due and owing.
Wage/bank account garnishment All No
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Virginia Va. Code Ann. § 17.1-275(A)(27) Fees collected by clerks of circuit courts; generally- Credit Card convenience fee
27. For the acceptance of credit or debit cards in lieu of money to collect and secure all fees, including filing fees, fines, restitution, forfeiture, penalties and costs, the clerk
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shall collect from the person presenting such credit or debit card a reasonable convenience fee for the processing of such credit or debit card. Such convenience fee shall not exceed four percent of the amount paid for the transaction or a flat fee of $2 per transaction. The clerk may set a lower convenience fee for electronic filing of civil or criminal proceedings pursuant to § 17.1-258.3. Nothing herein shall be construed to prohibit the clerk from outsourcing the processing of credit and debit card transactions to a third-party private vendor engaged by the clerk. Convenience fees shall be used to cover operational expenses as defined in § 17.1-295.
Collection fee/interest All Yes
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California Cal. Rules of Court 4.335(4)(B) Ability to pay determination for infraction offenses the court may exercise its discretion to: . . . (B) Allow the defendant to complete community service in lieu of paying the total fine (if available) Community service Misdemeanor No
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California Cal. Rules of Court 4.335(4)(A) Ability to pay determination for infraction offenses the court may exercise its discretion to: (A) Provide for payment on an installment plan Payment plan/installment plan Misdemeanor No
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California CA ST J ADMIN STANDARDS Standard 4.40 Traffic infraction procedures
to insure the prompt and efficient disposition of traffic infraction cases, each court should:(1) Authorize the clerk, within limits set by the court, to grant defendants extensions of time for
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the posting of bail and payment of fines.
Payment plan/installment plan Traffic No
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Maryland Md. Code Ann., Crim. Law §10-119(i) Criminal Contempt Sanctions
if the defendant willfully fails to pay the fine imposed by the court, that willful failure may be treated as a criminal contempt of court, for which the defendant may
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be punished by the court as provided by law.
Increased fine All No
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Maryland Md. Code Ann., Crim. Law §10-127(c) Criminal Contempt Sanctions A defendant's willful failure to pay a fine imposed under this part may be treated as a criminal contempt punishable as provided by law. Increased fine All No
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Maryland Md. Code Ann., Crim. Law §10-133(i) Criminal Contempt Sanctions
if the defendant willfully fails to pay the fine imposed by the court, that willful failure may be treated as a criminal contempt of court, for which the defendant may
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be punished by the court as provided by law.
Increased fine All No
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Maryland Md. Code Ann., Crim. Law §10-137(i) Criminal Contempt Sanctions
if the defendant willfully fails to pay the fine imposed by the court, that willful failure may be treated as a criminal contempt of court, for which the defendant may
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be punished by the court as provided by law.
Increased fine All No
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New Jersey N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2A:158A-19 Public Defender: Collections of Moneys Due
The Public Defender in the name of the State shall do all things necessary and proper to collect all moneys due to the State by way of reimbursement for services
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rendered pursuant to this act. He may enter into arrangements with one or more agencies of the State, including the comprehensive enforcement program established pursuant to the provisions of P.L.1995, c. 9 (C.2B:19-1 et seq.) or of the counties to handle said collections on a cost basis to the extent that such arrangements are calculated to simplify collection procedures. He shall have all the remedies and may take all of the proceedings for the collection thereof which may be had or taken for or upon the recovery of a judgment in a civil action and may institute and maintain any action or proceeding in the courts necessary therefor. In any such proceedings or action, the defendant may contest the value of the service rendered by the Public Defender.
Collection fee/interest All Yes
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New Jersey N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2A:158A-17 Public Defender: Lien on Property of Defendant
The reasonable value of the services rendered to a defendant pursuant to P.L.1967, c. 43 (C.2A:158A-1 et seq.) may in all cases be a lien on any and all property
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to which the defendant shall have or acquire an interest. The Public Defender shall effectuate such lien whenever the reasonable value of the services rendered to a defendant appears to exceed $150.00 and may effectuate such lien where the reasonable value of those services appears to be less than $150.00. To effectuate such a lien, the Public Defender shall file a notice setting forth the services rendered to the defendant and the reasonable value thereof with the Clerk of the Superior Court. The filing of said notice with the Clerk of the Superior Court shall from the date thereof constitute a lien on said property for a period of 10 years, unless sooner discharged and except for such time limitations shall have the force and effect of a Judgment at Law. Within 10 days of the filing of the Notice of Lien, the Public Defender shall send by certified mail, or serve personally, a copy of such notice with a statement of the date of the filing thereof to or upon the defendant at his last known address. If the Public Defender shall fail to give notice, the lien shall be void. In any case where the defendant is awarded damages pursuant to P.L.1997, c. 227 (C.52:4C-1 et seq.) on grounds that the defendant did not commit the crime for which he was convicted and imprisoned, the Public Defender shall discharge any lien for services rendered concerning that crime.
Property liens All No
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New Jersey N.J. Stat. Ann. § 22A:3-6 Imprisonment for failure to pay costs
A person who defaults in the payment of costs assessed against him in accordance with the provisions of section 22A:3-4 of this Title shall be liable to imprisonment in the
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county jail for a period of one day for each dollar of costs imposed.
Incarceration All Yes
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New Jersey N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2C:35-15 Reformative service
A person required to pay a penalty under this section may propose to the court and the prosecutor a plan to perform reformative service in lieu of payment of up
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to one-half of the penalty amount imposed under this section. The reformative service plan option shall not be available if the provisions of paragraph (2) of subsection a. of this section apply or if the person is placed in supervisory treatment pursuant to the provisions of N.J.S.2C:36A-1 or N.J.S.2C:43-12. For purposes of this section, “reformative service” shall include training, education or work, in which regular attendance and participation is required, supervised, and recorded, and which would assist in the defendant's rehabilitation and reintegration. “Reformative service” shall include, but not be limited to, substance abuse treatment or services, other therapeutic treatment, educational or vocational services, employment training or services, family counseling, service to the community and volunteer work. For the purposes of this section, an application to participate in a court-administered alcohol and drug rehabilitation program shall have the same effect as the submission of a reformative service plan to the court.
All No
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New Jersey N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2C:35-15 Rehabilitation Program
The court may suspend the collection of a penalty imposed pursuant to this section; provided the person is ordered by the court to participate in a drug or alcohol rehabilitation
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program approved by the court; and further provided that the person agrees to pay for all or some portion of the costs associated with the rehabilitation program. In this case, the collection of a penalty imposed pursuant to this section shall be suspended during the person's participation in the approved, court-ordered rehabilitation program. Upon successful completion of the program, as determined by the court upon the recommendation of the treatment provider, the person may apply to the court to reduce the penalty imposed pursuant to this section by any amount actually paid by the person for his participation in the program. The court shall not reduce the penalty pursuant to this subsection unless the person establishes to the satisfaction of the court that he has successfully completed the rehabilitation program.
All No
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New Jersey N.J. Stat. Ann. § 17:29A-35 Motor vehicle violations surcharges for private passenger automobiles
If, upon written notification from the commission or its designee, mailed to the last address of record with the commission, a driver fails to pay a surcharge levied under this section and
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collectible by the commission, the driving privilege of the driver shall be suspended forthwith until at least five percent of each outstanding surcharge assessment that has resulted in suspension is paid to the commission; except that the commission may authorize payment of the surcharge on an installment basis over a period of 12 months for assessments under $2,300 or 24 months for assessments of $2,300 or more. The commission, for good cause, may authorize payment of any surcharge on an installment basis over a period not to exceed 36 months. If a driver fails to pay the surcharge or any installments on the surcharge, the total surcharge shall become due immediately, except as otherwise prescribed by rule of the commission.
Driver's license suspension/impoundment All Yes