Poverty Penalties and Poverty Traps

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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.

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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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Maryland Md. Code Ann., Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 7-503(a) Installment When a court imposes a fine, the court may order the defendant to pay the fine: (1) When the court imposes sentence; or (2) In specified installments at designated intervals. Payment plan/installment plan All No
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Maryland Md. Code Ann., Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 7-503(c) Condition Probation on Payment If a court sentences a defendant to probation, the court may make payment of a fine a condition of the sentence. Condition or extension of supervision All No
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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
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to a correctional facility;
Incarceration All No
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Maryland Md. Code Ann., Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 7-505 Collection of Unpaid Fines and Costs Unpaid and undischarged fines and unpaid costs may be levied, executed on, and collected in the same manner as judgments in civil cases. Property liens All No
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Maryland Md. Code Ann., Transp. § 26-207(a) Revocation of Commercial License
If a person holding a commercial driver's license fails to comply with a notice to appear in court or a notice for failure to pay a fine for a traffic
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citation issued to the person under the laws or regulations of another state, and the other state's driver licensing authority notified the Administration of the noncompliance, on receipt of the notice of noncompliance and after giving the person 10 days' written notice, the Administration shall suspend the driving privileges of the person until receipt of a notice of compliance from the other state.
Driver's license suspension/impoundment All No
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Maryland Md. Code Ann., Transp. § 27-103(a) Revocation of License
If a person fined under the Maryland Vehicle Law1 or under any federal traffic law or regulation for a violation occurring in Maryland does not pay the fine in accordance
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with the court's directive: (1) The court may so certify to the Administration; and (2) On such certification, after giving the person 10 days advance written notice, the Administration may suspend the driving privileges or license of the person until the fine has been paid.
Driver's license suspension/impoundment All 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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Vermont Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 13 § 5422(a) Actions to recover profits from a crime

(a)  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, including any statute of limitations, any crime victim shall have the right to bring a civil action in a court of competent jurisdiction to

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recover money damages from a person convicted of that crime, or the legal representative of that convicted person, within three years of the discovery of any profits from the crime. Any damages awarded in such action shall be recoverable only up to the value of the profits of the crime. This section shall not limit the right of a victim to proceed or recover under another cause of action.

(b)  The Attorney General may, within three years of the discovery of any profits from the crime, bring a civil action on behalf of the State to enforce the subrogation rights described in section 5357 of this title.

(c)  If the full value of any profits from the crime has not yet been claimed by either the victim of the crime or the victim's representative, the Attorney General, or both, within three years of the discovery of such profits, then the State may bring a civil action in a court of competent jurisdiction to recover the costs incurred by providing the defendant with counsel, if any, and other costs reasonably incurred or to be incurred in the incarceration of the defendant.

Civil judgment All No
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Vermont Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 13 § 7173 Mittimus against property of respondent

A mittimus issued by a court for the collection of a penalty, and fine in criminal prosecutions, in the discretion of such court, in addition to the prescribed form, may

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be issued against the goods, chattels, or lands of the respondent in the form in which executions are issued. Such mittimus may be levied upon the goods, chattels, or lands of the respondent, and the same sold in satisfaction thereof as in the sale of personal property or real estate upon execution.

Property liens All No
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Vermont Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 13 § 7180(4)(b) Remedies for failure to pay fines, costs, surcharges, and penalties

(4)  Contempt. (A) The court may conclude that the defendant is in contempt if the court finds that: (i) the defendant knew or reasonably should have known that he or she

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owed the amount due; (ii) the defendant had the ability to pay all or any portion of the amount due; and (iii) the defendant failed to pay all or any portion of the amount due.

(B) If the court concludes that the defendant is in contempt, the court may: (i) Order payment of the amount due on a specific date. (ii) Assess an additional penalty not to exceed ten percent of the amount due. (iii) Direct that the matter be reported to one or more designated credit bureaus. The Court Administrator or the Court Administrator's designee is authorized to contract with one or more credit bureaus for the purpose of reporting information about unpaid Judicial Bureau judgments. (iv)  Refer to Small Claims Court for the purpose of issuing writs of attachment for property and trustee process pursuant to 12 V.S.A. § 5534. Filing fees shall be waived in such cases. (v) Sentence the defendant to serve a term of imprisonment on furlough to participate in a program supervised by the Department of Corrections pursuant to 28 V.S.A. § 808(a) that provides reparation to the community in the form of supervised work activities. For each day the defendant participates in supervised work activities, the defendant shall be given credit against the amount owed at the hourly rate for minimum wage. A defendant who is determined by the Department of Corrections to be ineligible for the preapproved furlough supervised work program may be ordered by the court to serve a sentence in a correctional facility, in which event the defendant shall be given credit against the amount owed for every day served at a rate determined by the court.

Incarceration, Increased fine, Property liens, Work program/jail industry program All No
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Vermont Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 28 § 252(b)(7) Condition of probation

(b) When imposing a sentence of probation, the court may, as a condition of probation, require that the offender: (6) Make restitution or reparation to the victim of his or her conduct, or

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to the Victims' Compensation Fund to the extent it has made payment to or on behalf of the victim in accordance with 13 V.S.A. chapter 167, for the damage or injury which was sustained. When restitution or reparation is a condition of the sentence, the court, in accordance with 13 V.S.A. § 7043, shall fix the amount thereof, which shall not exceed an amount the defendant can or will be able to pay, and shall fix the manner of performance. (7) Pay a fine authorized in accordance with law.

Condition or extension of supervision All No
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Vermont Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 13 § 7043(f)(1) Restitution

If not paid at the time of sentencing, restitution may be ordered as a condition of probation, supervised community sentence, furlough, preapproved furlough, or parole if the convicted person is

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sentenced to preapproved furlough, probation, or supervised community sentence, or is sentenced to imprisonment and later placed on parole. A person shall not be placed on probation solely for purposes of paying restitution. An offender may not be charged with a violation of probation, furlough, or parole for nonpayment of a restitution obligation incurred after July 1, 2004.

Condition or extension of supervision All No
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Vermont Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 23 § 1209a(a)(1)(D) Conditions of reinstatement; alcohol and driving education; screening; therapy programs

(1) In the case of a first suspension, a license or privilege to operate shall be reinstated only: . . . (D) if the person has no pending criminal charges,

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civil citations, or unpaid fines or penalties for a violation under this chapter.

Driver's license suspension/impoundment All Yes
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Vermont Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 4 § 1109 Remedies for failure to pay; contempt

(b)  Late fees; suspensions for nonpayment of certain traffic violation judgments.

(1)  A Judicial Bureau judgment shall provide notice that a $ 30.00 fee shall be assessed for failure to pay within 30

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days. If the defendant fails to pay the amount due within 30 days, the fee shall be added to the judgment amount and deposited in the Court Technology Special Fund established pursuant to section 27 of this title.

(2) (A) In the case of a judgment on a traffic violation for which the imposition of points against the person's driving record is authorized by law, the judgment shall contain a notice that failure to pay or otherwise satisfy the amount due within 30 days of the notice will result in suspension of the person's operator's license or privilege to operate, and that payment plan options are available. If the defendant fails to pay the amount due within 30 days of the notice, or by a later date as determined by a Judicial Bureau clerk or hearing officer, and the case is not pending on appeal, the Judicial Bureau shall provide electronic notice thereof to the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles. After 20 days from the date of receiving the electronic notice, the Commissioner shall suspend the person's operator's license or privilege to operate for a period of 30 days or until the amount due is satisfied, whichever is earlier. (B) At minimum, the Judicial Bureau shall offer a payment plan option that allows a person to avoid a suspension of his or her license or privilege to operate by paying no more than $ 30.00 per traffic violation judgment per month, and not to exceed $ 100.00 per month if the person has four or more outstanding judgments.

(B) In the contempt order, the hearing officer may do one or more of the following: (i) Set a date by which the defendant shall pay the amount due. (ii) Assess an additional penalty not to exceed ten percent of the amount due; . . .  (iv)  Recommend that the Criminal Division of the Superior Court incarcerate the defendant until the amount due is paid. If incarceration is recommended pursuant to this subdivision (c)(5), the Judicial Bureau shall notify the Criminal Division of the Superior Court that contempt proceedings should be commenced against the defendant. The Criminal Division of the Superior Court proceedings shall be de novo. If the defendant cannot afford counsel for the contempt proceedings in the Criminal Division of the Superior Court, the Defender General shall assign counsel at the Defender General's expense.

Driver's license suspension/impoundment, Incarceration, Increased fine Traffic No
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Vermont Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 28 § 502b(c) Terms and conditions of parole

(c) A person residing in and participating in programs at a treatment center shall abide by the rules and regulations of the center and may be required to pay such

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costs incident to residents as the Commissioner deems appropriate.

Condition or extension of supervision All No