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

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.

12 Results

Export results to Excel

State Statute Description/Statute Name Statutory language Type of poverty penalty or poverty trap Level of offense Mandatory
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

Ohio Ohio Rev. Code § 1907.25(B) Blocking of motor vehicle registration or transfer or registration for failure to pay fine or costs
If a person is charged with an offense in county court and either fails to appear in court at the required time and place to answer the charge or pleads
+ See more
guilty to or is found guilty of the offense and fails within the time allowed by the court to pay any fine or costs imposed by the court, the court may enter information relative to the person's failure to pay any outstanding amount of the fine or costs on a form prescribed or approved by the registrar of motor vehicles pursuant to division (C) of this section and send the form to the registrar. Upon receipt of the form, the registrar shall take any measures necessary to ensure that neither the registrar nor any deputy registrar accepts any application for the registration or transfer of registration of any motor vehicle owned or leased by the person. However, for a motor vehicle leased by the person, the registrar shall not implement this requirement until the registrar adopts procedures for that implementation under section 4503.39 of the Revised Code. The period of denial relating to the issuance or transfer of a certificate of registration for a motor vehicle imposed under this section remains in effect until the person pays any fine or costs imposed by the court relative to the offense. When the fine or costs have been paid in full, the court shall inform the registrar of the payment by entering information relative to the payment on a notice of payment form prescribed or approved by the registrar pursuant to division (C) of this section and sending the form to the registrar.
Driver's license suspension/impoundment All No
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

Ohio Ohio Rev. Code § 4510.22 Forfeiture for failure to appear or pay fine; denial of vehicle registration

If a person who has a current valid Ohio driver's, commercial driver's license, or temporary instruction permit is charged with a violation of any provision in sections 4503.11, 4503.12, 4503.182,

+ See more
4503.21, 4507.02, 4507.05, 4507.35, 4510.11, 4510.111, 4510.12, 4510.16, 4510.21, 4511.01 to 4511.76, 4511.81, 4511.82, 4511.84, 4513.01 to 4513.65, or 4549.01 to 4549.65 of the Revised Code or with a violation of any substantially equivalent municipal ordinance and if the person either fails to appear in court at the required time and place to answer the charge or pleads guilty to or is found guilty of the violation and fails within the time allowed by the court to pay the fine imposed by the court, the court may declare the forfeiture of the person's license. Thirty days after such a declaration of forfeiture, the court shall inform the registrar of motor vehicles of the forfeiture by entering information relative to the forfeiture on a form approved and furnished by the registrar and sending the form to the registrar. The court also shall forward the person's license, if it is in the possession of the court, to the registrar. The registrar shall impose a class F suspension of the person's driver's or commercial driver's license, or temporary instruction permit for the period of time specified in division (B)(6) of section 4510.02 of the Revised Code on any person who is named in a declaration received by the registrar under this section. The registrar shall send written notification of the suspension to the person at the person's last known address and, if the person is in possession of the license, order the person to surrender the person's license or permit to the registrar within forty-eight hours.

Driver's license suspension/impoundment Misdemeanor No
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

Ohio Ohio Rev. Code § 1901.44(B) Community service in lieu of court costs; failure to pay

If a person is charged with an offense in municipal court and either fails to appear in court at the required time and place to answer the charge or pleads

+ See more
guilty to or is found guilty of the offense and fails within the time allowed by the court to pay any fine or costs imposed by the court, the court may enter information relative to the person's failure to pay any outstanding amount of the fine or costs on a form prescribed or approved by the registrar of motor vehicles pursuant to division (C) of this section and send the form to the registrar. Upon receipt of the form, the registrar shall take any measures necessary to ensure that neither the registrar nor any deputy registrar accepts any application for the registration or transfer of registration of any motor vehicle owned or leased by the person. However, for a motor vehicle leased by the person, the registrar shall not implement this requirement until the registrar adopts procedures for that implementation under section 4503.39 of the Revised Code. The period of denial relating to the issuance or transfer of a certificate of registration for a motor vehicle imposed under this section remains in effect until the person pays any fine or costs imposed by the court relative to the offense. When the fine or costs have been paid in full, the court shall inform the registrar of the payment by entering information relative to the payment on a notice of payment form prescribed or approved by the registrar pursuant to division (C) of this section and sending the form to the registrar.

Driver's license suspension/impoundment All No
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

Ohio Ohio Rev. Code § 2947.09(A) Failure to appear or pay court costs

If a person is charged with an offense in a court of common pleas, including a juvenile court, and either fails to appear in court at the required time and

+ See more
place to answer the charge or pleads guilty to or is found guilty of the offense or is adjudicated a delinquent child or juvenile traffic offender based on the offense and fails within the time allowed by the court to pay any fine or costs imposed by the court, the court may enter information relative to the person's failure to pay any outstanding amount of the fine or costs on a form prescribed or approved by the registrar of motor vehicles pursuant to division (B) of this section and send the form to the registrar. Upon receipt of the form, the registrar shall take any measures necessary to ensure that neither the registrar nor any deputy registrar accepts any application for the registration or transfer of registration of any motor vehicle owned or leased by the person. However, for a motor vehicle leased by the person, the registrar shall not implement this requirement until the registrar adopts procedures for that implementation under section 4503.39 of the Revised Code. The period of denial relating to the issuance or transfer of a certificate of registration for a motor vehicle imposed under this section remains in effect until the person pays any fine or costs imposed by the court relative to the offense. When the fine or costs have been paid in full, the court shall inform the registrar of the payment by entering information relative to the payment on a notice of payment form prescribed or approved by the registrar pursuant to division (B) of this section and sending the form to the registrar.

Driver's license suspension/impoundment All No
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

Ohio Ohio Rev. Code § 4510.22 Forfeiture upon failure to appear in court or to pay fines

(A) If a person who has a current valid Ohio driver’s, commercial driver’s license, or temporary instruction permit is charged with a violation of any provision in sections 4503.11, 4503.12,

+ See more
4503.182, 4503.21, 4507.02, 4507.05, 4507.35, 4510.11, 4510.111, 4510.12, 4510.16, 4510.21, 4511.01 to 4511.76, 4511.81, 4511.82, 4511.84, 4513.01 to 4513.65, or 4549.01 to 4549.65 of the Revised Code or with a violation of any substantially equivalent municipal ordinance and if the person either fails to appear in court at the required time and place to answer the charge or pleads guilty to or is found guilty of the violation and fails within the time allowed by the court to pay the fine imposed by the court, the court may declare the forfeiture of the person’s license. Thirty days after such a declaration of forfeiture, the court shall inform the registrar of motor vehicles of the forfeiture by entering information relative to the forfeiture on a form approved and furnished by the registrar and sending the form to the registrar. The court also shall forward the person’s license, if it is in the possession of the court, to the registrar.
The registrar shall impose a class F suspension of the person’s driver’s or commercial driver’s license, or temporary instruction permit for the period of time specified in division (B)(6) of section 4510.02 of the Revised Code on any person who is named in a declaration received by the registrar under this section. The registrar shall send written notification of the suspension to the person at the person’s last known address and, if the person is in possession of the license, order the person to surrender the person’s license or permit to the registrar within forty-eight hours.
No valid driver’s or commercial driver’s license shall be granted to the person after the suspension, unless the court having jurisdiction of the offense that led to the suspension orders that the forfeiture be terminated. The court shall order the termination of the forfeiture if the person thereafter appears to answer the charge and pays any fine imposed by the court or pays the fine originally imposed by the court. The court shall inform the registrar of the termination of the forfeiture by entering information relative to the termination on a form approved and furnished by the registrar and sending the form to the registrar. The person shall pay to the registrar of motor vehicles or an eligible deputy registrar a twenty-five-dollar reinstatement fee. In addition, each deputy registrar shall collect a service fee of ten dollars to compensate the deputy registrar for services performed under this section. The deputy registrar shall retain eight dollars of the service fee and shall transmit the reinstatement fee, plus two dollars of the service fee, to the registrar in the manner the registrar shall determine. The registrar shall deposit fifteen dollars of the reinstatement fee into the state treasury to the credit of the public safety - highway purposes fund created by section 4501.06 of the Revised Code to cover the costs of the bureau in administering this section and shall deposit ten dollars of the fee into the state treasury to the credit of the indigent defense support fund created by section 120.08 of the Revised Code.
(B) In addition to suspending the driver’s or commercial driver’s license or permit of the person named in a declaration of forfeiture, the registrar, upon receipt from the court of the copy of the declaration of forfeiture, shall take any measures that may be necessary to ensure that neither the registrar nor any deputy registrar accepts any application for the registration or transfer of registration of any motor vehicle owned or leased by the person named in the declaration of forfeiture. However, for a motor vehicle leased by a person named in a declaration of forfeiture, the registrar shall not implement the preceding sentence until the registrar adopts procedures for that implementation under section 4503.39 of the Revised Code. The period of denial of registration or transfer shall continue until such time as the court having jurisdiction of the offense that led to the suspension orders the forfeiture be terminated. Upon receipt by the registrar of an order terminating the forfeiture, the registrar also shall take any measures that may be necessary to permit the person to register a motor vehicle owned or leased by the person or to transfer the registration of such a motor vehicle, if the person later makes application to take such action and otherwise is eligible to register the motor vehicle or to transfer its registration.
The registrar shall not be required to give effect to any declaration of forfeiture or order terminating a forfeiture provided by a court under this section unless the information contained in the declaration or order is transmitted to the registrar by means of an electronic transfer system. The registrar shall not restore the person’s driving or vehicle registration privileges until the person pays the reinstatement fee as provided in this section.
The period of denial relating to the issuance or transfer of a certificate of registration for a motor vehicle imposed pursuant to this division remains in effect until the person pays any fine imposed by the court relative to the offense.

Driver's license suspension/impoundment Misdemeanor No
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

Pennsylvania Pa. R. Crim. P. 430(B)(4) Failure to respond to traffic citation
(4) that failure to respond to the citation as provided above within the time specified: (a) shall result in the issuance of
+ See more
a summons when a violation of an ordinance or any parking offense is charged, or when the defendant is under 18 years of age, and in all other cases shall result in the issuance of a warrant for the arrest of the defendant; and (b) shall result in the suspension of the defendant’s driver’s license when a violation of the Vehicle Code is charged;
Driver's license suspension/impoundment Traffic Yes
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

Pennsylvania 75 Pa. Stat. Ann. § 1541 Period of disqualification, revocation or suspension of operating privilege
Continued suspension of operating privilege.--A defendant ordered by the court under section 3816 (relating to requirements for driving under influence offenders), as the result of a conviction or Accelerated Rehabilitative
+ See more
Disposition of a violation of section 3802 to attend a treatment program for alcohol or drug addiction must successfully complete all requirements of the treatment program ordered by the court before the defendant's operating privilege may be restored. Successful completion of a treatment program includes the payment of all court-imposed fines and costs, as well as fees to be paid to the treatment program by the defendant. For the purposes of restoring a suspended license, being current on a payment plan shall be considered as a part of a successfully completed program. If a defendant fails to successfully complete the requirements of a treatment program, the suspension shall remain in effect until the defendant completes the program and is otherwise eligible for restoration of his operating privilege. The treatment agency shall immediately notify the court of successful completion of the treatment program. The final decision as to whether a defendant has successfully completed the treatment program rests with the court.
Driver's license suspension/impoundment Traffic Yes
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

South Dakota S.D. Codified Laws § 32-35-62 Failure to pay installments--Suspension of licenses.

In the event the judgment debtor referred to in § 32-35-61 fails to pay any installment as specified by such order, then upon notice of such default, the Department of

+ See more
Public Safety shall forthwith suspend the license or nonresident's operating privilege and the Department of Revenue shall forthwith suspend the registration of the judgment debtor until such judgment is satisfied, as provided in this chapter.

Driver's license suspension/impoundment All Yes
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

South Dakota S.D. Codified Laws § 32-35-52 Suspension of license for failure to pay judgment

The Department of Public Safety upon receipt of a certified copy of a judgment shall forthwith suspend the license and any nonresident's operating privilege and the Department of Revenue shall

+ See more
forthwith suspend the registration of any person against whom such judgment was rendered except as provided in §§ 32-35-53 to 32-35-56, inclusive.

Driver's license suspension/impoundment All No
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

South Dakota S.D. Codified Laws § 32-35-57 Length of suspension pursuant to Section 32-35-52

A license, registration, and nonresident's operating privilege suspended pursuant to § 32-35-52 shall remain so suspended and shall not be renewed, nor shall any such license or registration be thereafter

+ See more
issued in the name of such person, including any such person not previously licensed, unless and until every such judgment is stayed, satisfied in full, or to the extent provided in § 32-35-59, and until the said person gives proof of financial responsibility subject to the exemptions stated in §§ 32-35-54, 32-35-55, and 32-35-61.

Driver's license suspension/impoundment All Yes
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

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

+ See more
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
BS-+-Light-Rounded-Square
Add to Dashboard

+ Create New

Wyoming Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 31-9-303 Continued suspension until judgment satisfied; discharge in bankruptcy

Except as provided in W.S. 31-9-305, the license, registration and nonresident's operating privilege shall not be renewed, nor shall any license or registration be issued in the name of the

+ See more
person, including any person not previously licensed, until every judgment is stayed, satisfied or discharged, except that a discharge in bankruptcy does satisfy the judgment for the purposes of this section.

Driver's license suspension/impoundment All Yes