50-State Criminal Justice Debt Reform Builder Bringing transparency to areas of significant legal complexity.
Poverty Penalties and Poverty Traps
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.
Every law can be saved to the Reform Builder
See all poverty penalty and poverty trap policy recommendations in CJPP’s Policy Guide
State
- Alabama (2)
- Alaska (10)
- Arizona (10)
- Arkansas (13)
- California (6)
- Colorado (12)
- Connecticut (11)
- Delaware (12)
- Florida (29)
- (-) Georgia (5)
- Hawaii (8)
- Idaho (8)
- Illinois (4)
- Indiana (6)
- Iowa (4)
- Kansas (11)
- Kentucky (10)
- Louisiana (16)
- Maine (18)
- Maryland (10)
- Massachusetts (12)
- Michigan (19)
- Minnesota (6)
- Mississippi (8)
- Missouri (20)
- Montana (11)
- Nebraska (6)
- Nevada (9)
- New Hampshire (14)
- New Jersey (13)
- New Mexico (12)
- New York (6)
- North Carolina (8)
- North Dakota (16)
- Ohio (17)
- Oklahoma (8)
- Oregon (12)
- Pennsylvania (16)
- Rhode Island (4)
- South Carolina (16)
- South Dakota (11)
- Tennessee (8)
- Texas (26)
- Utah (15)
- Vermont (7)
- Virginia (13)
- Washington (25)
- Washington DC (5)
- West Virginia (8)
- Wisconsin (8)
- (-) Wyoming (17)
Keyword search
Reset
Reset all filtersType of poverty penalty or poverty trap
- Civil judgment (3)
- Collection fee/interest (0)
- Community service (0)
- Condition or extension of supervision (5)
- Driver's license suspension/impoundment (1)
- Extension of probation/supervision (0)
- Incarceration (8)
- Increased fine (0)
- Other (0)
- Payment plan/installment plan (5)
- Property liens (1)
- Wage/bank account garnishment (3)
- Work program/jail industry program (2)
Mandatory
Narrrow results
Level of Offense
Below are the poverty penalties and poverty traps 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 | Type of poverty penalty or poverty trap | Level of offense | Mandatory | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Add to Dashboard
|
Georgia | Ga. Code Ann. § 17-10-20(c) | Collection of Fines and Restitution in Criminal Cases |
If the fine or restitution is not paid in full, such judgment may be enforced by instituting any procedure for execution upon the writ of fieri facias through levy, foreclosure, garnishment, and all other actions provided for the enforcement of judgments in the State of Georgia and in other states and foreign nations where such judgment is afforded full faith and credit under the Uniform Foreign Money Judgments Act or domestication thereof.
|
Wage/bank account garnishment | All | No |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
Georgia | Ga. Code Ann. § 42-8-34(e)(3)(A)(iii);(e)(3)(B) | Sentencing Hearings and Determinations; Presentence Investigations; Payment of Fees, Fines, and Costs; Post-Conviction, Presentence Bond; Continuing Jurisdiction; Transferal of Probation Supervision |
(iii) "Significant financial hardship" means a reasonable probability that an individual will be unable to satisfy his or her financial obligations for two or more consecutive months; (B) The court shall waive, modify, or convert fines, statutory surcharges, probation supervision fees, and any other moneys assessed by the court or a provider of probation services upon a determination by the court prior to or subsequent to sentencing that a defendant has a significant financial hardship or inability to pay or that there are any other extenuating factors which prohibit payment or collection; provided, however, that the imposition of sanctions for failure to pay such sums shall be within the discretion of the court through judicial process or hearings.
|
All | No | |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
Georgia | Ga. Code Ann. § 42-8-34.2(a) | Delinquency of Defendant in Payment of Fines, Costs, or Restitution or Reparation; Costs of Garnishment |
In the event that a defendant is delinquent in the payment of fines, costs, or restitution or reparation, as was ordered by the court as a condition of probation, the defendant's officer shall be authorized, but shall not be required, to execute a sworn affidavit wherein the amount of arrearage is set out. In addition, the affidavit shall contain a succinct statement as to what efforts DCS has made in trying to collect the delinquent amount. The affidavit shall then be submitted to the sentencing court for approval. Upon signature and approval of the court, such arrearage shall then be collectable through issuance of a writ of fieri facias by the clerk of the sentencing court; and DCS may enforce such collection through any judicial or other process or procedure which may be used by the holder of a writ of execution arising from a civil action.
|
Civil judgment | All | No |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
Georgia | Ga. Code Ann. § 15-9-62(a) | Issuance of Writ of Fieri Facias for Fees; Defenses |
Whenever any costs are due the judge of the probate court by executors, administrators, or guardians, upon failure to pay the same on demand made, he is empowered to issue a writ of fieri facias at any regular term of court against the executors, administrators, or guardians for the amount due for costs at the time of the demand.
|
Civil judgment | All | No |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
Georgia | Ga. Code Ann. § 17-6-1.1(1);(2) | Electronic Pretrial Release and Monitoring Program for Defendants; Requirements; Procedures; Fees |
(1) As an additional condition of electronic pretrial release and monitoring, a defendant authorized to participate in such program by the court shall pay a reasonable, nonrefundable fee for program enrollment, equipment use, and monitoring to the provider of such program. If a bonding company, bonding agent, or probation service provider is the provider, the fees earned in the capacity of being such a provider shall be in addition to the fees allowed in Code Sections 17-6-30, 42-8-34, and 42-8-102; (2) The fees connected with the electronic pretrial release and monitoring program shall be timely paid by a defendant as a condition of his or her ongoing participation in the electronic pretrial release and monitoring program in accordance with the terms for such programs as approved by the court. Failure to make timely payments shall constitute a violation of the terms of the electronic pretrial release and monitoring program and shall result in the defendant's immediate return to custody.
|
Incarceration | All | No |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
Wyoming | Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 7-16-101 | Persons subject to required work |
(a) The sentencing court may require the following persons to perform work pursuant to W.S. 7-16-101 through 7-16-104: (i) Persons sentenced to a definite term of imprisonment in the county jail, whether or not a fine is imposed as a part of the sentence; (ii) Persons committed to jail pursuant to W.S. 6-10-105 for refusal to pay a fine or costs; and (iii) Persons for whom work is imposed as a condition of probation pursuant to W.S. 7-13-304(b). (b) No person charged with a crime and awaiting the action of the grand jury or awaiting trial shall be required to perform work pursuant to W.S. 7-16-101 through 7-16-104.
|
Condition or extension of supervision, Work program/jail industry program | All | No |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
Wyoming | Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 6-10-105 | Commitment for refusal to pay fine or costs; rate per day |
A person committed to jail for willfully refusing to pay a fine or costs may be imprisoned if the court determines that the defendant has an ability to pay or that a reasonable probability exists that the defendant will have an ability to pay, until the imprisonment, at the rate of fifteen dollars ($15.00) per day, equals the amount of the fine or costs, or the amount shall be paid or secured to be paid when he is discharged.
|
Incarceration | All | No |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
Wyoming | Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 7-11-504 | Commitment until fine and costs paid |
If a defendant sentenced to pay a fine or costs defaults in payment, the court may order the defendant to show cause why he should not be committed to jail. If the court finds that the defendant's default is willful or is due to a failure on defendant's part to make a good faith effort to obtain the funds required for the payment and the court determines that the defendant has an ability to pay or that a reasonable probability exists that the defendant will have an ability to pay, the court may order him committed until the fine or costs, or a specified part thereof, is paid. The defendant shall be given a credit for each day of imprisonment at the rate provided by W.S. 6 10 105, and may earn additional credits against his fine or costs for work performed as provided by W.S. 7 16 101 through 7 16 104.
|
Incarceration | All | No |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
Wyoming | Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 6-10-105 | Commitment for refusal to pay fine or costs; rate per day |
A person committed to jail for willfully refusing to pay a fine or costs may be imprisoned if the court determines that the defendant has an ability to pay or that a reasonable probability exists that the defendant will have an ability to pay, until the imprisonment, at the rate of fifteen dollars ($15.00) per day, equals the amount of the fine or costs, or the amount shall be paid or secured to be paid when he is discharged.
|
Incarceration | All | No |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
Wyoming | Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 31-9-305 | Payment of judgments in installments; failure to meet payments |
(a) A judgment debtor upon notice to the judgment creditor may apply to the court in which judgment was rendered for the privilege of paying the judgment in installments and the court, in its discretion and without prejudice to any other legal remedies which the judgment creditor may have, may order and fix the amounts and times of payment of the installments.
(b) The division shall not suspend a license, registration or a nonresident's operating privilege, and shall restore any license, registration or nonresident's operating privilege suspended following nonpayment of a judgment, when the judgment debtor gives proof of financial responsibility and obtains an order permitting the payment of the judgment in installments, and while the payment of any installment is not in default. (c) If the judgment debtor fails to pay any installment as specified by the order, then upon notice of default, the division shall suspend the license, registration or nonresident's operating privilege of the judgment debtor until the judgment is fully satisfied, as provided in this act. |
Driver's license suspension/impoundment, Payment plan/installment plan | All | No |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
Wyoming | Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 7-13-421 | Restitution as condition of parole |
(b) The board shall provide for restitution in the amount determined by the court pursuant to W.S. 7-9-103 unless the board finds the parolee is not reasonably capable of making the payments, in which case the board may modify the amount of restitution to be paid, taking into account the factors enumerated in W.S. 7-9-106.
(c) If the parolee fails to pay the restitution as provided by this section the board may: (i) Modify the amount of the restitution; (ii) Repealed By Laws 2011, Ch. 30, § 2. (iii) Revoke the parole. |
Condition or extension of supervision, Payment plan/installment plan | All | No |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
Wyoming | Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 7-9-109 | Failure to comply; modification or extension of plan |
Failure of the defendant to comply with W.S. 7 9 104 or to comply with the plan of restitution as approved or modified by the court is a violation of the conditions of probation. If the probation period has expired, the restitution order may be enforced by either civil or criminal contempt proceedings. Criminal contempt under this section is punishable by imprisonment for not more than one (1) year. The court may modify the plan of restitution or extend the period of time for restitution, but, except for those cases falling within the provisions of W.S. 7 9 113 through 7 9 115, the court may not extend the period of time for restitution beyond ten (10) years following the date of the defendant's discharge from sentence or expiration of probation under W.S. 7 13 301.
|
Incarceration | All | No |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
Wyoming | Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 7-9-115 | Modification of order |
After a long-term physical health care restitution order has been entered, the court may from time to time, on the petition of either the defendant or the victim, or upon its own motion, modify the order as to the amount of monthly payments. Any modification of the order shall only be based upon a substantial change of circumstances relating to the cost of long-term physical health care or the financial condition of either the defendant or the victim. The petition shall be filed as part of the original criminal docket.
|
Payment plan/installment plan | All | No |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
Wyoming | Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 7-13-306 | Payment of fine in installments |
When imposing a fine and also placing the defendant on probation, the district judge may permit the fine to be paid in installments over a reasonable period of time. |
Payment plan/installment plan | All | No |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
Wyoming | Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 7-13-109(b),(c) | Payment of jail costs by inmate |
(b) An order to pay room and board costs under this section shall be included as a special order in the judgment of conviction. To satisfy the order, the clerk of the sentencing court, upon request of the sheriff or prosecuting attorney, may issue execution against any assets of the defendant including wages subject to attachment, in the same manner as in a civil action.
(c) Willful failure or refusal to pay costs ordered under this section is punishable as contempt of court. |
Incarceration, Property liens, Wage/bank account garnishment | All | No |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
Wyoming | Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 5-6-211 | Working prisoners; credit for work done |
Whenever the defendant is sentenced to imprisonment for the violation of a city ordinance, he may be put to work for the benefit of the city, if it is determined that adequate supervision is available, for the term of his imprisonment, and when committed for the nonpayment of a fine, or costs, for the violation of any ordinance, he may also be put to work for the benefit of the city, and shall be credited on such fine and costs, fifteen dollars ($15.00) per day for each day he shall work.
|
Work program/jail industry program | All | No |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
Wyoming | Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 7-16-204 | Fines for misconduct |
The department of corrections shall adopt rules and regulations to establish a system for punishing prisoner misconduct through the imposition of fines to be deducted from compensation earned as provided by W.S. 7-16-203. The rules shall provide for the distribution of the proceeds of fines collected under this section as special aid to discharged or paroled prisoners who are infirm or in any way incapable of earning a sufficient subsistence after their release.
|
Wage/bank account garnishment | All | No |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
Wyoming | Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 7-6-108 | Recovery of payment |
(a) Within six (6) years after the date the services were rendered, the attorney general may sue on behalf of the state to recover payment or reimbursement from each person who has received legal assistance or other benefits under this act or, in the case of an unemancipated minor, from his custodial parent or any other person who has a legal obligation of support.
(b) Amounts recovered under this act shall be paid into the state general fund. |
Civil judgment | All | No |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
Wyoming | Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 7-9-104 | Preparation of plan; contents |
(a) In any case in which the court has ordered restitution under W.S. 7-9-102, 7-9-113 or 7-13-301, if the sentencing court orders suspended imposition of sentence, suspended sentence or probation, the court shall require that the defendant in cooperation with the probation and parole officer assigned to the defendant, or in the case of unsupervised probation any probation and parole officer or any other person the court directs, promptly prepare a plan of restitution including the name and address of each victim, the amount of restitution determined to be owed to each victim pursuant to W.S. 7-9-103 or 7-9-114 and a schedule of restitution payments. If the defendant is presently unable to make any restitution but there is a reasonable possibility that the defendant may be able to do so at some time during his probation period, the plan of restitution shall also state the conditions under which or the event after which the defendant shall make restitution. In structuring a plan for reimbursement under this section, victim restitution shall be paid in the following order:
(i) Pecuniary damages suffered by the victim which have not been paid by insurance or from the crime victim's compensation account; (ii) Payment of other amounts owed by the defendant arising from the case. |
Condition or extension of supervision, Payment plan/installment plan | All | No |
|
Add to Dashboard
|
Wyoming | Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 7-9-108(a) | Compliance with plan as condition of probation or suspension; payments to clerk |
(a) Compliance with the plan of restitution as approved or modified by the court shall be a condition of the defendant's probation or suspension. |
Condition or extension of supervision | All | No |
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.