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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Michigan Mich. Comp. Laws § 600.4803 Failure to pay as subject to late penalty
A person who fails to pay a penalty, fee, or costs in full within 56 days after that amount is due and owing is subject to a late penalty equal
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to 20% of the amount owed. The court shall inform a person subject to a penalty, fee, or costs that the late penalty will be applied to any amount that continues to be unpaid 56 days after the amount is due and owing. . . . A late penalty may be waived by the court upon the request of the person subject to the late penalty.
Collection fee/interest All No
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Pennsylvania 42 Pa. Stat. Ann. § 9728(a) Collection - interest
Except as provided in subsection (b)(5), all restitution, reparation, fees, costs, fines and penalties shall be collected by the county probation department or other agent designated by the county commissioners
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of the county with the approval of the president judge of the county for that purpose in any manner provided by law. However, such restitution, reparation, fees, costs, fines and penalties are part of a criminal action or proceeding and shall not be deemed debts. A sentence, pretrial disposition order or order entered under section 6352 (relating to disposition of delinquent child) for restitution, reparation, fees, costs, fines or penalties shall, together with interest and any additional costs that may accrue, be a judgment in favor of the probation department upon the person or the property of the person sentenced or subject to the order.
Collection fee/interest All No
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Virginia Va. Code Ann. § 19.2-354(A) Fee to cover cost of managing installment plan
If the defendant is unable to make payment within 30 days of sentencing, the court may assess a one-time fee not to exceed $10 to cover the costs of management
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of the defendant's account until such account is paid in full. This one-time fee shall not apply to cases in which costs are assessed pursuant to § 17.1-275.1, 17.1-275.2, 17.1-275.3, 17.1-275.4, 17.1-275.7, 17.1-275.8, or 17.1-275.9.
Collection fee/interest All No
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Virginia Va. Code Ann. § 19.2-353.3 Increased Fine for Bounced check/declined card
If a check is returned unpaid by the financial institution on which it is drawn or notice is received from the credit or debit card issuer that payment will not
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be made, for any reason, the fees, fine, restitution, forfeiture, penalty or costs shall be treated as unpaid, and the court may pursue all available remedies to obtain payment. The clerk of the court to whom the dishonored check or credit or debit card was tendered may impose a fee of $50 or 10 percent of the value of the payment, whichever is greater, in addition to the fine and costs already imposed.
Collection fee/interest 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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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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Nevada Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. §176.0635 Administrative assessment, fine or fee for felony or gross misdemeanor: Additional costs and fees for collection.
1.  A defendant who pleads guilty or guilty but mentally ill or is found guilty or guilty but mentally ill who owes a fine, administrative assessment or fee, pursuant to NRS
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176.0625, must be assessed by and pay to the county treasurer or other office assigned by the county to make collections the following costs and fees if the county treasurer or other office assigned by the county to make collections is successful in collecting the fine, administrative assessment or fee: (a) The costs and fees actually incurred in collecting the fine, administrative assessment or fee; and (b) A fee payable to the county treasurer in the amount of 2 percent of the amount of the fine, administrative assessment or fee assigned to the county treasurer or other office assigned by the county to make collections. 2.  The total amount of the costs and fees required to be collected pursuant to subsection 1 must not exceed 35 percent of the amount of the fine, administrative assessment or fee or $50,000, whichever is less.
Collection fee/interest Felony Yes
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Nevada Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. §176.064 (1) Collection fee for unpaid administrative assessment, fine, fee or restitution; use of collection agency; report to credit agencies; civil judgment; attachment or garnishment; suspension of driver’s license; imprisonment.
1.  If a fine, administrative assessment, fee or restitution is imposed upon a defendant pursuant to this chapter, whether or not the fine, administrative assessment, fee or restitution is in addition
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to any other punishment, and the fine, administrative assessment, fee or restitution or any part of it remains unpaid after the time established by the court for its payment, the defendant is liable for a collection fee, to be imposed by the court at the time it finds that the fine, administrative assessment, fee or restitution is delinquent, of: (a) Not more than $100, if the amount of the delinquency is less than $2,000. (b) Not more than $500, if the amount of the delinquency is $2,000 or greater, but is less than $5,000. (c) Ten percent of the amount of the delinquency, if the amount of the delinquency is $5,000 or greater.
Collection fee/interest All No
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Louisiana CCRP 895.5.A Restitution Recovery Division
Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, each district attorney may establish a special division in the office designated as the "restitution recovery division" for the administration, collection,
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and enforcement of victim restitution, victim compensation assessments, probation fees, and payments in civil or criminal proceedings ordered by the court and payable to the state or to crime victims, judgments entered which have not been otherwise vacated, or judicial relief given from the operation of the order or judgment.
Collection fee/interest All No
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Louisiana CCRP 886.A Civil Process, offset of tax refund
In the event of nonpayment of a fine, nonpayment of restitution to the victim, or nonpayment of a fine and costs, within sixty days after the sentence was imposed, and
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if no appeal is pending, the court which imposed the sentence may sign a judgment against the defendant in a sum equal to the fine or restitution plus judicial interest to begin sixty days after the sentence was imposed plus all costs of the criminal proceeding and subsequent proceedings necessary to enforce the judgment in either civil or criminal court, or both. Collection of the judgment may be enforced in either criminal or civil court, or both, in the same manner as a money judgment in a civil case. In addition, particular courts may provide by court rule for enforcement by the filing of an offset claim against the defendant, in accordance with R.S. 47:299.1 through 299.20.
Collection fee/interest All No
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Oklahoma 22 Okl.St.Ann. § 456A Bench warrant, fee for issuance of
For the issuance of each bench warrant for a defendant's failure to pay court costs, fines, fees, or assessments in felony, misdemeanor, or traffic cases, the court clerk shall charge
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and collect a fee of Five Dollars ($5.00). The fee shall be included in the execution bond amount on the face of the bench warrant which is issued for the defendant's failure to pay and shall be in addition to the delinquent amount owed by the defendant. This fee shall be deposited in the court clerk's revolving fund pursuant to the provisions of Section 220 of Title 19 of the Oklahoma Statutes.
Collection fee/interest All Yes
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Oklahoma 22 Okl.St.Ann. § 966A Bench warrant, fee for issuance of
For the issuance of each bench warrant for a defendant's failure to pay court costs, fines, fees, or assessments in felony, misdemeanor, or traffic cases, the court clerk shall charge
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and collect a fee of Five Dollars ($5.00). The fee shall be included in the execution bond amount on the face of the bench warrant which is issued for the defendant's failure to pay and shall be in addition to the delinquent amount owed by the defendant. This fee shall be deposited in the court clerk's revolving fund pursuant to the provisions of Section 220 of Title 19 of the Oklahoma Statutes.
Collection fee/interest All Yes
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Oklahoma Okla. Stat. tit. 11, § 22-138 Municipal collection agency contracts
A governing body of a municipality that enters into a contract with a collection agency pursuant to this section may authorize the addition of a collection fee in an amount
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not to exceed thirty-five percent (35%) on each item described in subsection A of this section that has been referred by the municipality to the collection agency for collection. If a municipality enters into such contract with a collection agency and authorizes the collection fee, the court shall order defendants to reimburse the fee arising pursuant to paragraph 2 of subsection A of this section and such court-ordered fee may be collected as provided by law for the collection of any other civil debt or criminal action.
Collection fee/interest All Yes
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Arizona Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 13-805(E) Restitution and Fines: Jurisdiction

A criminal restitution order may be recorded and is enforceable as any civil judgment, except that a criminal restitution order does not require renewal pursuant to section 12-1611 or 12-1612.

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Enforcement of a criminal restitution order by any person or by the state on behalf of any person who is entitled to restitution includes the collection of interest that accrues at a rate of ten percent a year. Enforcement of a criminal restituion order by the state includes the collection of interest that accrues at a rate of four percent a year. A criminal restitution order does not expire until paid in full. A filing fee, A recording fee or any other charge is not required for recording a criminal restitution order.

Collection fee/interest All Yes
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California Cal. Pen. Code § 166(e)(2) Contempt of court; Stalking; Punishments

...If probation is granted upon conviction of a violation of subdivision (c), the conditions of probation may include, in lieu of a fine, one or both of the following requirements:(A)

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That the defendant make payments to a battered women’s shelter, up to a maximum of one thousand dollars ($1,000). (B) That the defendant provide restitution to reimburse the victim for reasonable costs of counseling and other reasonable expenses that the court finds are the direct result of the defendant’s offense.

Collection fee/interest Misdemeanor No
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California Cal. Pen. Code § 1463.010(f) Proceedings in Misdemeanor and Infraction Cases: Enforcement of court orders; Guidelines for collection program; Annual report; Business license suspension program; Amnesty

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Judicial Council, after consultation with the Franchise Tax Board with respect to collections under Section 19280 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, may

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provide for an amnesty program involving the collection of outstanding fees, fines, forfeitures, penalties, and assessments, applicable either statewide or within one or more counties. The amnesty program shall provide that some or all of the interest or collections costs imposed on outstanding fees, fines, forfeitures, penalties, and assessments may be waived if the remaining amounts due are paid within the amnesty period.

Collection fee/interest All No
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Colorado Colo. Rev. Stat. § 16-11-101.6(1) Collection of Fines and Fees - Methods - Charges - Judicial Collection Enforcement Fund

If the defendant is assessed any fines, fees, costs, surcharges, or other monetary assessments with regard to the sentencing, disposition, or adjudication of a felony, misdemeanor, juvenile delinquency petition, petty

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offense, traffic offense, or traffic infraction and does not pay all amounts assessed in full on the date of the assessment, the defendant shall pay to the clerk of the court an additional time payment fee of twenty-five dollars. The time payment fee may be assessed once per case; except that, if amounts owed in the case have still not been paid in full one year after the date of the assessment, said fee shall be assessed annually until the defendant has fully satisfied his or her financial obligation in the case. In addition, there may be assessed against a defendant a late penalty fee of ten dollars each time a payment toward the fines, fees, costs, surcharges, or other amounts owed is not received on or before the date due.

Collection fee/interest All Yes