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Terms Used In Louisiana Code of Criminal Procedure 883.2

  • Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Plea agreement: An arrangement between the prosecutor, the defense attorney, and the defendant in which the defendant agrees to plead guilty in exchange for special considerations. Source:
  • Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action.
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.

            A. In all cases in which the court finds an actual pecuniary loss to a victim, or in any case where the court finds that costs have been incurred by the victim in connection with a criminal prosecution, the trial court shall order the defendant to provide restitution to the victim as a part of any sentence that the court shall impose.

            B. Additionally, if the defendant agrees as a term of a plea agreement, the court shall order the defendant to provide restitution to other victims of the defendant’s criminal conduct, although those persons are not the victim of the criminal charge to which the defendant pleads. Such restitution to other persons may be ordered pursuant to Article 895 or 895.1 of this Code or any other provision of law permitting or requiring restitution to victims.

            C. The court shall order that all restitution payments be made by the defendant to the victim through the court’s designated intermediary, and in no case shall the court order the defendant to deliver or send a restitution payment directly to a victim, unless the victim consents.

            D. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, if the defendant is found to be indigent and therefore unable to make restitution in full at the time of conviction, the court may order a periodic payment plan pursuant to the provisions of Article 875.1.

            Acts 1999, No. 783, §3, eff. Jan. 1, 2000; Acts 1999, No. 988, §1; Acts 2007, No. 22, §1; Acts 2010, No. 160, §1; Acts 2014, No. 180, §1; Acts 2017, No. 260, §1, eff. Aug. 1, 2018; Acts 2018, No. 137, §1, eff. Aug. 1, 2018; Acts 2018, No. 668, §4, eff. Aug. 1, 2018; Acts 2019, No. 253, §2; Acts 2021, No. 313, §3A, see Act.