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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
Add to Dashboard + Create New	Maryland	Md. Code Ann., Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 7-504(c)(3)	Imprisonment	After an investigation that a court considers necessary as to the reasons for the failure or inability to pay a fine, the court: May order that the individual be committed + See more to a correctional facility;	Incarceration	All	No
Add to Dashboard + Create New	South Dakota	S.D. Codified Laws § 32-23-4.10	Costs payable to county--Nonpayment punishable by contempt.	In addition to any other penalty, assessment, or fine provided by law, the court shall order any person convicted of a crime for a violation of § 32-23-1 to remit + See more costs in the amount of fifty dollars to the clerk of courts. The clerk of courts shall forward any amount collected pursuant to this section to the county treasurer for deposit in the county general fund. Failure to remit the amount to the clerk of courts in the time specified by the court is punishable by contempt proceedings.	Incarceration	All	Yes
Add to Dashboard + Create New	South Dakota	S.D. Codified Laws § 23A-47-6	Failure to comply with plan of restitution or of financial obligation constitutes violation of conditions — Modification of plan — Contempt	Failure of any individual in this system to comply with the plan of restitution or plan for financial obligations as approved or modified by the court constitutes a violation of + See more the conditions within this system. Without limitation, the court may modify the plan of restitution or financial obligation, extend the period of time for restitution or financial obligation, or continue the individual in the administrative financial accountability system. If the individual fails to make payment as ordered by the court, the individual may be held in contempt of the court’s order.	Incarceration	All	No
Add to Dashboard + Create New	South Dakota	S.D. Codified Laws § 216-15-7	Resistance to judicial process as misdemeanorEvery person guilty of any contempt of court by intentional disobedience of any process or order lawfully issued by any court is guilty of a + See more Class 2 misdemeanor.	Every person guilty of any contempt of court by intentional disobedience of any process or order lawfully issued by any court is guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor.	Incarceration	All	No
Add to Dashboard + Create New	South Dakota	S.D. Codified Laws § 223A-27-25.4	Default in payment of fine or costs and restitution	If a defendant sentenced to pay a fine, costs, or restitution, defaults in the timely payment thereof, the court may, upon its own motion or upon motion of the state's + See more attorney, require the defendant to show cause why he should not be imprisoned or jailed for nonpayment. The court may issue a warrant of arrest, bench warrant, or order to show cause for the defendant's appearance.	Incarceration	All	No
Add to Dashboard + Create New	South Dakota	S.D. Codified Laws § 223A-27-25.5	Hearing required prior to imprisonment or jailing for failure to pay fine, costs, and restitution--Burden of proof--Computation of time to be served	No defendant may be imprisoned or jailed for failure to pay a fine, costs, or restitution or have any suspended prison or jail sentence revoked without a prior hearing. At + See more the hearing, the defendant has the burden of proof to establish to the reasonable satisfaction of the magistrate or circuit judge that the defendant did not willfully fail to pay the fine, costs, or restitution or that the defendant did make a bona fide effort to pay the fine, costs, or restitution. Failure by the defendant to make such a showing is grounds for being imprisoned or jailed. If the sentence provided for payment of fine or costs only, the term of jail or imprisonment may be no longer than the number of days equal to the total amount of the fine or costs imposed divided by sixty. For purposes of making this computation, any fraction of less than one day shall be dropped from the term of imprisonment. In no event may such imprisonment for failure to pay the fine, costs, and restitution together with all other time served or to be served exceed the maximum allowed by statute. If the defendant establishes that nonpayment was not willful or that the defendant did make a bona fide effort to pay, the defendant may not be imprisoned or jailed for nonpayment. The magistrate or circuit judge shall consider other alternatives which take into account the state's interest in punishment and deterrence. The court shall make findings in its decision.	Incarceration	All	No
Add to Dashboard + Create New	South Dakota	S.D. Codified Laws § 223A-28-8	Failure to comply as violation of conditions of probation--Modification of plan by court--Contempt	Failure of the defendant to comply with § 23A-28-3 or to comply with the plan of restitution as approved or modified by the court constitutes a violation of the conditions + See more of probation. Without limitation, the court may modify the plan of restitution or extend the period of time for restitution, regardless of whether the defendant is no longer on probation. If the defendant fails to make payment as ordered by the court, the defendant may be held in contempt of the court's order.	Condition or extension of supervision, Extension of probation/supervision, Incarceration, Payment plan/installment plan	All	No
Add to Dashboard + Create New	Tennessee	Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-24-104(a)	Imprisonment	If the defendant fails to pay the fine as directed, or is unable to pay the fine and so represents upon application to the court, the court, after inquiring into + See more and making further investigation, if any, which it may deem necessary with regard to the defendant's financial and family situation and the reasons for nonpayment of the fine, including whether the nonpayment was contumacious or was due to indigency, may enter any order that it could have entered under § 40-24-101, or may reduce the fine to an amount that the defendant is able to pay, or may direct that the defendant be imprisoned until the fine, or any portion of it, remaining unpaid or remaining undischarged after a pro rata credit for any time that may already have been served in lieu of payments, is paid. The court shall determine and specify, in the light of defendant's situation and means and of defendant's conduct with regard to the nonpayment of the fine, the period of any imprisonment in default of payment of the fine within the limits of the penalties for a Class C misdemeanor.	Incarceration	All	No
Add to Dashboard + Create New	Tennessee	Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-24-105(d)(2)	Collection; fines, costs and litigation taxes; license revocation	On or after January 1, 2015, if an agent is used, the agent's collection fee shall be added to the total amount owed. The agent's collection fee shall not exceed + See more forty percent (40%) of any amounts actually collected. When moneys are paid into court, the allocation formula outlined in subsection (a) shall be followed, except up to forty percent (40%) may be withheld for the collection agent, with the remainder being allocated according to the formula.	Collection fee/interest	All	Yes
Add to Dashboard + Create New	Tennessee	Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-4-106	Fines and Costs	On conviction, the offender shall immediately pay the fine and costs, or give security to pay them, or be imprisoned until they are paid. The fine and costs, if paid + See more before execution, shall be paid to the clerk; if paid after execution, to the officer having the execution.	Incarceration	All	Yes
Add to Dashboard + Create New	Tennessee	Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-24-105(d)(1)	Collection; fines, costs and litigation taxes; license revocation	(d)(1) Any fine, costs, or litigation taxes remaining in default after the entry of the order assessing the fine, costs, or litigation taxes may be collected by the district attorney + See more general or the criminal or general sessions court clerk in the manner authorized by this section and otherwise by the trial court by contempt upon a finding by the court that the defendant has the present ability to pay the fine and willfully refuses to pay. After a fine, costs, or litigation taxes have been in default for at least six (6) months, the district attorney general or criminal or general sessions court clerk may retain an agent to collect, or institute proceedings to collect, or establish an in-house collection procedure to collect, fines, costs and litigation taxes. If an agent is used, the district attorney general or the criminal or general sessions court clerk shall request the county purchasing agent to utilize normal competitive bidding procedures applicable to the county to select and retain the agent. If the district attorney general and the criminal or general sessions court clerk cannot agree upon who collects the fines, costs and litigation taxes, the presiding judge of the judicial district or a general sessions judge shall make the decision. The district attorney general or criminal or general sessions court clerk may retain up to fifty percent (50%) of the fines, costs and litigation taxes collected pursuant to this subsection (d) in accordance with any in-house collection procedure or, if an agent is used, for the collection agent. The proceeds from any in-house collection shall be treated as other fees of the office. When moneys are paid into court, the allocation formula outlined in subsection (a) shall be followed, except up to fifty percent (50%) may be withheld for in-house collection or, if an agent is used, for the collection agent, with the remainder being allocated according to the formula.	Collection fee/interest	All	No
Add to Dashboard + Create New	Tennessee	Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-6-108	Fines, penalties and forfeitures; transmittal	(a) All fines, penalties and forfeitures of bonds imposed or collected under chapters 1-6 of this title shall be paid over immediately after receipt thereof to the commissioner, with an + See more accompanying statement setting forth the action or proceedings in which these moneys were collected, the name and residence of the defendant, the nature of the offense and fines, penalty, forfeiture or sentence, if any, imposed.(b) The commissioner is empowered, in the name of the state, to take all steps necessary to enforce the collection and prompt return of all fines, penalties and forfeitures of bonds, and the fines, penalties and forfeitures of bonds, when so collected, shall be deposited by the commissioner with the state treasurer and shall become a part of the general funds of the state.	Collection fee/interest	All	No
Add to Dashboard + Create New	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 + See more 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 + Create New	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. + See more 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 + Create New	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 + See more 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 + Create New	Wyoming	Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 6-6-207	Assessment of tax when permanent injunction issues; collection; continuing liability for other penalties	Whenever a permanent injunction issues against any person for maintaining a nuisance or against the owner or agent of any building kept or used for the purposes prohibited by this + See more article, there shall be assessed against the building and the ground upon which it is located and against the person or persons maintaining the nuisance, and the owner or agent of the premises, a tax of three hundred dollars ($300.00). The assessment of the tax shall be made by the assessor of the county in which the nuisance exists and shall be made within three (3) months from the date of granting of the permanent injunction. If the assessor fails or neglects to make the assessment, it shall be made by the sheriff of the county and a return of the assessment shall be made to the county treasurer. The tax may be enforced and collected in the manner prescribed for the collection of taxes under the general revenue laws and shall be a perpetual lien upon all property, both personal and real used for the purpose of maintaining the nuisance. The payment of the tax does not relieve the person or building from any other penalties provided by law and when collected shall be applied and distributed in the manner prescribed by law for the application and distribution of monies arising from the collection of fines and penalties in criminal cases.	Collection fee/interest, Property liens	All	Yes
Add to Dashboard + Create New	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 + See more 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 + Create New	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 + See more 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 + Create New	Wyoming	Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 7-13-301(a)(v),(c)	Placing person found guilty, but not convicted, on probation	(a) If a person who has not previously been convicted of any felony is charged with or is found guilty of or pleads guilty or no contest to any misdemeanor + See more except any second or subsequent violation of W.S. 31-5-233 or any similar provision of law, or any second or subsequent violation of W.S. 6-2-510(a) or 6-2-511(a) or any similar provision of law, or any felony except murder, sexual assault in the first or second degree, aggravated assault and battery or arson in the first or second degree, the court may, with the consent of the defendant and the state and without entering a judgment of guilt or conviction, defer further proceedings and place the person on probation for a term not to exceed thirty-six (36) months upon terms and conditions set by the court. The terms of probation shall include that he: (v) Pay restitution to each victim in accordance with W.S. 7-9-101 and 7-9-103 through 7-9-115. (c) If the defendant violates a term or condition of probation at any time before final discharge, the court may: (i) Enter an adjudication of guilt and conviction and proceed to impose sentence upon the defendant if he previously pled guilty to or was found guilty of the original charge for which probation was granted under this section; or (ii) Order that the trial of the original charge proceed if the defendant has not previously pled or been found guilty.	Condition or extension of supervision, Incarceration	All	No
Add to Dashboard + Create New	Wyoming	Wyo. R. Crim. P. 46.4(c)	Sanctions for Failure to Appear or for Violation of Release Order	(c) Violation of release condition. A person who has been released under Rule 46.1, 46.2, or Rule 46.3 and who has violated a condition of that release, is subject to + See more a revocation of release and a prosecution for contempt of court.	Incarceration	All	No

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