(a) Any defendant who is ordered to pay any fine or restitution in connection with the commission of a misdemeanor and who, after the plea or judgment and prior to sentencing, or during the period that a restitution fine or order remains unsatisfied and enforceable, sells, conveys, assigns, or conceals his or her property with the intent to lessen or impair his or her financial ability to pay in full any fine or restitution which he or she may lawfully be ordered to pay, or to avoid forfeiture of assets pursuant to the California Control of Profits of Organized Crime Act (Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 186) of this title), is guilty of a misdemeanor.

(b) Any defendant who is ordered to pay any fine or restitution in connection with the commission of a felony and who, after the plea or judgment and prior to sentencing for the same felony offense, or during the period that a restitution order remains unsatisfied and enforceable, sells, conveys, assigns, or conceals his or her property with the intent to lessen or impair his or her financial ability to pay in full any fine or restitution which he or she may lawfully be ordered to pay or to avoid forfeiture of assets derived from either criminal profiteering pursuant to Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 186) of this title or trafficking in controlled substances pursuant to Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 11470) of Division 10 of the Health and Safety Code, is guilty of a felony.

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Terms Used In California Penal Code 155.5

  • Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Plea: In a criminal case, the defendant's statement pleading "guilty" or "not guilty" in answer to the charges, a declaration made in open court.
  • property: includes both real and personal property. See California Penal Code 7
  • Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action.

(Amended by Stats. 1996, Ch. 629, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1997.)