§ 77-32b-103 — Establishment of a criminal accounts receivable -- Responsibility -- Payment schedule -- Delinquency or default.

Utah § 77-32b-103

• Jurisdiction: Utah
• Title 77: Utah Code of Criminal Procedure
• Ch. 77-32b: Criminal Accounts Receivable and Costs

Text

(1) (1)(a) Except as provided in Subsection (1)(b) and (c), at the time of sentencing or acceptance of a plea in abeyance, the court shall enter an order to establish a criminal accounts receivable for the defendant.
(1)(b) The court is not required to create a criminal accounts receivable for the defendant under Subsection (1)(a) if the court finds that the defendant does not owe restitution and there are no other fines or fees to be assessed against the defendant.
(1)(c) If the court does not create a criminal accounts receivable for a defendant under Subsection (1)(a), the court shall enter an order to establish a criminal accounts receivable for the defendant at the time the court enters an order for restitution under Section 77-38b-205.
(2) Except as provided in Subsection (7), after establishing a criminal accounts receivable for a defendant, the court shall:
(2)(a) if a prison sentence is imposed and not suspended for the defendant:
(2)(a)(i) accept any payment for the criminal accounts receivable that is tendered on the date of sentencing; and
(2)(a)(ii) transfer the responsibility of receiving, distributing, and processing payments for the criminal accounts receivable to the Office of State Debt Collection; and
(2)(b) for all other cases:
(2)(b)(i) retain the responsibility for receiving, processing, and distributing payments for the criminal accounts receivable until the court enters a civil accounts receivable or civil judgment of restitution on the civil judgment docket under Subsection 77-18-114(1) or (2); and
(2)(b)(ii) record each payment by the defendant on the case docket.
(2)(c) For a criminal accounts receivable that a court retains responsibility for receiving, processing, and distributing payments under Subsection (2)(b)(i), the Judicial Council may establish rules to require a defendant to pay the cost, or a portion of the cost, for an electronic payment fee that is charged by a financial institution for the use of a credit or debit card to make payments towards the criminal accounts receivable.
(3) (3)(a) Upon entering an order for a criminal accounts receivable, the court shall establish a payment schedule for the defendant to make payments towards the criminal accounts receivable.
(3)(b) In establishing the payment schedule for the defendant, the court shall consider:
(3)(b)(i) the needs of the victim if the criminal accounts receivable includes an order for restitution under Section 77-38b-205;
(3)(b)(ii) the financial resources of the defendant, as disclosed in the financial declaration under Section 77-38b-204 or in evidence obtained by subpoena under Subsection 77-38b-402(1)(b);
(3)(b)(iii) the burden that the payment schedule will impose on the defendant regarding the other reasonable obligations of the defendant;
(3)(b)(iv) the ability of the defendant to pay restitution on an installment basis or on other conditions fixed by the court;
(3)(b)(v) the rehabilitative effect on the defendant of the payment of restitution and method of payment; and
(3)(b)(vi) any other circumstance that the court determines is relevant.
(3)(c) If the court is unable to determine the appropriate amount for the payment schedule or does not set an amount for the payment schedule, the defendant is required to pay $50 per month toward the criminal accounts receivable.
(4) A payment schedule for a criminal accounts receivable does not limit the ability of a judgment creditor to pursue collection by any means allowable by law.
(5) If the court orders restitution under Section 77-38b-205, or makes another financial decision, after sentencing that increases the total amount owed in a defendant's case, the defendant's criminal accounts receivable balance shall be adjusted to include any new amount ordered by the court.
(6) (6)(a) If a defendant is incarcerated in a county jail or a secure correctional facility, as defined in Section 64-13-1, or the defendant is involuntarily committed under Section 26B-5-332:
(6)(a)(i) all payments for a payment schedule shall be suspended for the period of time that the defendant is incarcerated or involuntarily committed, unless the court, or the board if the defendant is under the jurisdiction of the board, expressly orders the defendant to make payments according to the payment schedule; and
(6)(a)(ii) the defendant shall provide the court with notice of the incarceration or involuntary commitment.
(6)(b) A suspension under Subsection (6)(a) shall remain in place for 60 days after the day in which the defendant is released from incarceration or commitment.
(7) (7)(a) If the defendant owes restitution to the Department of Workforce Services or Department of Health and Human Services, the court may order that all or a portion of criminal accounts receivable be paid directly to the governmental agency or entity.
(7)(b) If the authority to collect all or a portion of the criminal accounts receivable is given to a governmental agency or entity under this Subsection (7), the governmental agency or entity shall maintain an accounting of all payments made or credits toward reduction of the balance of the criminal accounts receivable.
(7)(c) The governmental entity or agency shall provide a copy of the accounting upon filing an order to show cause in the criminal case to the court or upon request to the court, Board of Pardons and Parole, Department of Corrections, private probation provider, prosecutor, defendant, or other victim.

Legislative History

Amended by Chapter 526, 2025 General Session