(1) 

Terms Used In Utah Code 77-32b-103

  • Board: means the Board of Pardons and Parole. See Utah Code 77-32b-102
  • Civil accounts receivable: means any amount of the criminal accounts receivable that is owed by the defendant that has not been paid on or before the day on which:
(i) the defendant's sentence is terminated; or
(ii) the court enters an order for a civil accounts receivable under Subsection 77-18-114(1) or (2). See Utah Code 77-32b-102
  • Civil judgment of restitution: means any amount of the criminal accounts receivable that is owed by the defendant for restitution that has not been paid on or before the day on which the defendant's sentence is terminated. See Utah Code 77-32b-102
  • Criminal accounts receivable: includes unpaid fees, forfeitures, surcharges, costs, interest, penalties, restitution, third party claims, claims, reimbursement of a reward, and damages. See Utah Code 77-32b-102
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Payment schedule: means the amount that is be paid by a defendant in installments, or by a certain date, to satisfy a criminal accounts receivable for the defendant. See Utah Code 77-32b-102
  • 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.
  • Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action.
  • Restitution: means the same as that term is defined in Section 77-38b-102. See Utah Code 77-32b-102
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes a state, district, or territory of the United States. See Utah Code 68-3-12.5
  • Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
  • (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.

    (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.

    (c)  Subject to Subsection 77-38b-205(5), 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)  After establishing a criminal accounts receivable for a defendant, the court shall:

    (a)  if a prison sentence is imposed and not suspended for the defendant:

    (i)  accept any payment for the criminal accounts receivable that is tendered on the date of sentencing; and

    (ii)  transfer the responsibility of receiving, distributing, and processing payments for the criminal accounts receivable to the Office of State Debt Collection; and

    (b)  for all other cases:

    (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

    (ii)  record each payment by the defendant on the case docket.

    (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) 

    (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.

    (b)  In establishing the payment schedule for the defendant, the court shall consider:

    (i)  the needs of the victim if the criminal accounts receivable includes an order for restitution under Section 77-38b-205;

    (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);

    (iii)  the burden that the payment schedule will impose on the defendant regarding the other reasonable obligations of the defendant;

    (iv)  the ability of the defendant to pay restitution on an installment basis or on other conditions fixed by the court;

    (v)  the rehabilitative effect on the defendant of the payment of restitution and method of payment; and

    (vi)  any other circumstance that the court determines is relevant.

    (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) 

    (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:

    (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

    (ii)  the defendant shall provide the court with notice of the incarceration or involuntary commitment.

    (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.

    Amended by Chapter 330, 2023 General Session