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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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

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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
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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

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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
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Texas Tex. Code Crim. Proc. Art. 42A.607 Disposition of Salary

If a defendant who is required as a condition of community supervision to serve a term of confinement under this subchapter is not required by the judge to deliver the

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defendant’s salary to the restitution center director, the employer of the defendant shall deliver the salary to the director. The director shall deposit the salary into a fund to be given to the defendant on release after the director deducts:

(1) the cost to the center for the defendant’s food, housing, and supervision;

(2) the necessary expense for the defendant’s travel to and from work and community service projects, and other incidental expenses of the defendant;

(3) support of the defendant’s dependents; and

(4) restitution to the victims of an offense committed by the defendant

Wage/bank account garnishment All Yes
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Texas Tex. Gov't Code Sec. 501.014(a),(e)(2),(4)-(6) Inmate Money

(a) The department shall take possession of all money that an inmate has on the inmate’s person or that is received with the inmate when the inmate arrives at a facility

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to be admitted to the custody of the department and all money the inmate receives at the department during confinement and shall credit the money to an account created for the inmate . . .

(e) On notification by a court, the department shall withdraw from an inmate’s account any amount the inmate is ordered to pay by order of the court under this subsection. On receipt of a valid court order requiring an inmate to pay child support, the department shall withdraw the appropriate amount from the inmate’s account under this subsection, regardless of whether the court order is provided by the court or another person. The department shall make a payment under this subsection as ordered by the court to either the court or the party specified in the court order. The department is not liable for withdrawing or failing to withdraw money or making payments or failing to make payments under this subsection. The department shall make withdrawals and payments from an inmate’s account under this subsection according to the following schedule of priorities: . . . (2) as payment in full for all orders for restitution . . . (4) as payment in full for all orders for court fees and costs; (5) as payment in full for all orders for fines; and (6) as payment in full for any other court order, judgment, or writ.

Wage/bank account garnishment All Yes
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Texas Tex. Code Crim. Proc. Art. 42A.607 Disposition of Salary

If a defendant who is required as a condition of community supervision to serve a term of confinement under this subchapter is not required by the judge to deliver the

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defendant’s salary to the restitution center director, the employer of the defendant shall deliver the salary to the director. The director shall deposit the salary into a fund to be given to the defendant on release after the director deducts: (1) the cost to the center for the defendant’s food, housing, and supervision; (2) the necessary expense for the defendant’s travel to and from work and community service projects, and other incidental expenses of the defendant; (3) support of the defendant’s dependents; and (4) restitution to the victims of an offense committed by the defendant.

Wage/bank account garnishment All Yes
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Texas Tex. Transp. Code Ann. § 706.002 Denial of renewal of driver's license

A political subdivision may contract with the department to provide information necessary for the department to deny renewal of the driver’s license of a person who fails to appear for

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a complaint or citation or fails to pay or satisfy a judgment ordering payment of a fine and cost in the manner ordered by the court in a matter involving any offense that a court has jurisdiction of under Chapter 4, Code of Criminal Procedure.

Driver's license suspension/impoundment All No
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Texas Tex. Transp. Code Sec. 702.003(a) Traffic violation - denial of motorvehicle registration

A county assessor-collector or the department may refuse to register a motor vehicle if the assessor-collector or the department receives under a contract information from a municipality that the owner

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of the vehicle has an outstanding warrant from that municipality for failure to appear or failure to pay a fine on a complaint that involves the violation of a traffic law.

Driver's license suspension/impoundment Traffic 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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Washington Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 10.82.080 Unlawful receipt of public assistance — Deduction from subsequent assistance payments — Restitution payments

(1) When a superior court has, as a condition of the sentence for a person convicted of the unlawful receipt of public assistance, ordered restitution to the state of that

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overpayment or a portion thereof: (a) The department of social and health services shall deduct the overpayment from subsequent assistance payments as provided in RCW 43.20B.630, when the person is receiving public assistance; or (b) Ordered restitution payments may be made at the direction of the court to the clerk of the appropriate county or directly to the department of social and health services when the person is not receiving public assistance.

Wage/bank account garnishment All Yes
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Washington Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 46.20.289 Suspension for failure to respond, appear, etc

Except for traffic violations committed under RCW 46.61.165, the department shall suspend all driving privileges of a person when the department receives notice from a court under RCW 46.63.070(6), 46.63.110(6),

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or 46.64.025 that the person has failed to respond to a notice of traffic infraction for a moving violation, failed to appear at a requested hearing for a moving violation, violated a written promise to appear in court for a notice of infraction for a moving violation, or has failed to comply with the terms of a notice of traffic infraction, criminal complaint, or citation for a moving violation, or when the department receives notice from another state under Article IV of the nonresident violator compact under RCW 46.23.010 or from a jurisdiction that has entered into an agreement with the department under RCW 46.23.020, other than for a standing, stopping, or parking violation, provided that the traffic infraction or traffic offense is committed on or after July 1, 2005. A suspension under this section takes effect pursuant to the provisions of RCW 46.20.245, and remains in effect until the department has received a certificate from the court showing that the case has been adjudicated, and until the person meets the requirements of RCW 46.20.311. In the case of failure to respond to a traffic infraction issued under RCW 46.55.105, the department shall suspend all driving privileges until the person provides evidence from the court that all penalties and restitution have been paid. A suspension under this section does not take effect if, prior to the effective date of the suspension, the department receives a certificate from the court showing that the case has been adjudicated.

Driver's license suspension/impoundment Traffic Yes
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Washington Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 7.68.120(2) Reimbursement — Restitution to victim — Notice — Fees — Order to withhold and deliver — Limitation

(2) (a) The department may issue a notice of debt due and owing to the person found to have committed the criminal act, and shall serve the notice on the person in

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the manner prescribed for the service of a summons in a civil action or by certified mail. The department shall file the notice of debt due and owing along with proof of service with the superior court of the county where the criminal act took place. The person served the notice shall have thirty days from the date of service to respond to the notice by requesting a hearing in superior court.

(b) If a person served a notice of debt due and owing fails to respond within thirty days, the department may seek a default judgment. Upon entry of a judgment in an action brought pursuant to (a) of this subsection, the clerk shall enter the order in the execution docket. The filing fee shall be added to the amount of the debt indicated in the judgment. The judgment shall become a lien upon all real and personal property of the person named in the judgment as in other civil cases. The judgment shall be subject to execution, garnishment, or other procedures for collection of a judgment.

Civil judgment, Property liens, Wage/bank account garnishment All No
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Washington Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 9.94A.760(1),(5),(10) Legal financial obligations

(1) Whenever a person is convicted in superior court, the court may order the payment of a legal financial obligation as part of the sentence. The court may not order an

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offender to pay costs as described in RCW 10.01.160 if the court finds that the offender at the time of sentencing is indigent as defined in RCW 10.101.010(3) (a) through (c). An offender being indigent as defined in RCW 10.101.010(3) (a) through (c) is not grounds for failing to impose restitution or the crime victim penalty assessment under RCW 7.68.035. The court must on either the judgment and sentence or on a subsequent order to pay, designate the total amount of a legal financial obligation and segregate this amount among the separate assessments made for restitution, costs, fines, and other assessments required by law. On the same order, the court is also to set a sum that the offender is required to pay on a monthly basis towards satisfying the legal financial obligation. If the court fails to set the offender monthly payment amount, the department shall set the amount if the department has active supervision of the offender, otherwise the county clerk shall set the amount.

(5) . . . For an offense committed on or after July 1, 2000, the court shall retain jurisdiction over the offender, for purposes of the offender’s compliance with payment of the legal financial obligations, until the obligation is completely satisfied, regardless of the statutory maximum for the crime. The department may only supervise the offender’s compliance with payment of the legal financial obligations during any period in which the department is authorized to supervise the offender in the community under RCW 9.94A.728, 9.94A.501, or in which the offender is confined in a state correctional institution or a correctional facility pursuant to a transfer agreement with the department, and the department shall supervise the offender’s compliance during any such period.

(10) The department or any obligee of the legal financial obligation may seek a mandatory wage assignment for the purposes of obtaining satisfaction for the legal financial obligation pursuant to RCW 9.94A.7701. Any party obtaining a wage assignment shall notify the county clerk. The county clerks shall notify the department, or the administrative office of the courts, whichever is providing the monthly billing for the offender.

(11) The requirement that the offender pay a monthly sum towards a legal financial obligation constitutes a condition or requirement of a sentence and the offender is subject to the penalties for noncompliance as provided in RCW 9.94B.040, 9.94A.737, or 9.94A.740. If the court determines that the offender is homeless or a person who is mentally ill, as defined in RCW 71.24.025, failure to pay a legal financial obligation is not willful noncompliance and shall not subject the offender to penalties.

Incarceration, Payment plan/installment plan, Wage/bank account garnishment All Yes
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West Virginia W. Va. Code § 50-3-2a(b)-(c)(1), (f)(1) Payment by credit card or payment plan; suspension of licenses for failure to make payments or appear or respond; restitution; liens

(b) Unless otherwise required by law, a magistrate court may collect a portion of any costs, fines, fees, forfeitures, restitution or penalties at the time the amount is imposed by the

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court so long as the court requires the balance to be paid in accordance with a payment plan which specifies: (1) The number of payments to be made; (2) the dates on which the payments are due; and (3) the amounts due for each payment. The written agreement represents the minimum payments and the last date those payments may be made. The obligor or the obligor's agent may accelerate the payment schedule at any time by paying any additional portion of any costs, fines, fees, forfeitures, restitution or penalties.

(c) (1) If any costs, fines, fees, forfeitures, restitution or penalties imposed by the magistrate court in a criminal case are not paid within one hundred eighty days from the date of judgment and the expiration of any stay of execution, the magistrate court clerk or, upon judgment rendered on appeal, the circuit clerk shall notify the Commissioner of the Division of Motor Vehicles of the failure to pay: Provided, That in a criminal case in which a nonresident of this state is convicted of a motor vehicle violation defined in section three-a [§ 17B-3-3a], article three, chapter seventeen-b of this code, the appropriate clerk shall notify the Division of Motor Vehicles of the failure to pay within eighty days from the date of judgment and expiration of any stay of execution. Upon notice, the Division of Motor Vehicles shall suspend any privilege the person defaulting on payment may have to operate a motor vehicle in this state, including any driver's license issued to the person by the Division of Motor Vehicles, until all costs, fines, fees, forfeitures, restitution or penalties are paid in full. The suspension shall be imposed in accordance with the provisions of section six [§ 17B-3-6], article three, chapter seventeen-b of this code: Provided, That any person who has had his or her license to operate a motor vehicle in this state suspended pursuant to this subsection and his or her failure to pay is based upon inability to pay, may, if he or she is employed on a full- or part-time basis, petition to the circuit court for an order authorizing him or her to operate a motor vehicle solely for employment purposes. Upon a showing satisfactory to the court of inability to pay, employment and compliance with other applicable motor vehicle laws, the court shall issue an order granting relief.

(f) (1) If all costs, fines, fees, forfeitures, restitution or penalties imposed by a magistrate court and ordered to be paid are not paid within one hundred eighty days from the date of judgment and the expiration of any stay of execution, the clerk of the magistrate court shall notify the prosecuting attorney of the county of nonpayment and provide the prosecuting attorney with an abstract of judgment. The prosecuting attorney shall file the abstract of judgment in the office of the clerk of the county commission in the county where the defendant was convicted and in any county wherein the defendant resides or owns property. The clerks of the county commissions shall record and index the abstracts of judgment without charge or fee to the prosecuting attorney and when so recorded, the amount stated to be owing in the abstract shall constitute a lien against all property of the defendant.

Driver's license suspension/impoundment, Payment plan/installment plan, Property liens All No
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West Virginia W. Va. Code § 50-3-2c(a) Withholding from personal income tax refunds for unpaid fines and costs in magistrate criminal actions, in magistrate criminal appeals to circuit court and for failure to appear in court

(a) If costs, fines, fees, forfeitures, restitution or penalties imposed by the magistrate court upon conviction of a person for a criminal offense as defined by this code, imposed by the

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circuit court upon judgment on an appeal to circuit court of that conviction, or imposed by either court for failure to appear are not paid in full within one year of the judgment, the magistrate court clerk or, upon a judgment rendered on appeal, the circuit clerk shall notify the Tax Commissioner that the defendant has failed to pay the costs, fines, forfeitures or penalties assessed by the court. The notice provided by the magistrate clerk or the circuit clerk to the Tax Commissioner must include the defendant's Social Security number. The Tax Commissioner, or his or her designee, shall withhold from any personal income tax refund due and owing to a defendant the costs, fines, fees, forfeitures, restitution or penalties due, the Tax Commissioner's administration fee for the withholding and any and all fees or other amounts that the magistrate court and the circuit court would have collected had the defendant appeared: Provided, That no withholding shall be made under this section if there is an unsatisfied withholding request made pursuant to section two-b [§  8-10-2b], article ten, chapter eight of this code. The Tax Commissioner's administration fee shall not exceed $25, unless this maximum amount is increased by legislative rule promulgated in accordance with article three [§§  29A-3-1 et seq.], chapter twenty- nine-a of this code. The administrative fees deducted shall be deposited in the special revolving fund hereby created in the State Treasury, which shall be designated as the Magistrate Fines and Fees Collection Fund, and the Tax Commissioner shall make such expenditures from the fund as he or she deems appropriate for the administration of this subsection.

Wage/bank account garnishment All Yes
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West Virginia W. Va. Code § 62-4-17 Suspension of licenses for failure to pay fines and costs or failure to appear in court

(a) If costs, fines, forfeitures, penalties or restitution imposed by the circuit court upon conviction of a person for any criminal offense under this code are not paid in full when

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ordered to do so by the court, the circuit clerk shall notify the Division of Motor Vehicles of such failure to pay: Provided, That at the time the judgment is imposed, the court shall provide the person with written notice that failure to pay the same when ordered to do so shall result in the suspension of such person’s license or privilege to operate a motor vehicle in this state and that such suspension could result in the cancellation of, the failure to renew or the failure to issue an automobile insurance policy providing coverage for such person or such person’s family: Provided, however, That the failure of the court to provide such notice shall not affect the validity of any suspension of such person’s license or privilege to operate a motor vehicle in this state. For purposes of this section, such period of time within which the person is required to pay shall be stayed during any period an appeal from the conviction which resulted in the imposition of such costs, fines, forfeitures or penalties is pending.

Upon such notice, the Division of Motor Vehicles shall suspend the person’s driver’s license or privilege to operate a motor vehicle in this state until such time that the costs, fines, forfeitures or penalties are paid.

 

Driver's license suspension/impoundment All Yes
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Wyoming Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 7-18-114 Record and disbursement of wages; exemption from process; confidentiality of amount

(a) Wages earned by an inmate, parolee or offender while in an adult community corrections program shall be retained and accounted for by the program operator and shall be disbursed

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for the purposes provided in this subsection and in the order specified: (i) Personal necessities; (ii) Room and board to the program operator at a rate to be established by the department; (iii) Support of dependent relations; (iv) Court ordered restitution, fines, sanctions and reimbursement for the services of public defender or court appointed counsel, the surcharge imposed under W.S. 1-40-119, victims compensation obligations under W.S. 1-40-112(g) and the surcharge imposed under W.S. 7-13-1616; (v) Repealed by Laws 1999, ch. 62, § 2. (vi) Costs of health insurance; and (vii) Remaining funds shall be paid to the inmate, parolee or offender upon parole or final discharge.

(b) Wages earned by offenders, other than parolees or inmates, while in a residential adult community corrections program shall be retained and accounted for by the program operator and shall be disbursed only for the purposes and in the order specified in subsection (a) of this section unless otherwise ordered by the sentencing court. Any remaining funds shall be paid to the offender upon his satisfactory discharge from the program. Upon revocation of an offender's probation, the program operator shall forward any remaining funds to the court or to the institution to which the offender is sentenced as directed by the court.

(c) Program operators shall keep an accurate record and account of all wages earned by inmates, parolees and offenders pursuant to the rules promulgated by the department.

(d) The earnings of inmates under this act are not subject to garnishment, attachment or execution.

(e) Information relating to the amount of wages earned by an inmate, parolee or offender in an adult community corrections program is confidential and is not subject to public inspection.

Wage/bank account garnishment All Yes
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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

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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
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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

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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
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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

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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