Section 42003 Of Article 1. Public Offenses From California Vehicle Code >> Division 18. >> Chapter 1. >> Article 1.
42003
. (a) A judgment that a person convicted of an infraction be
punished by a fine may also provide for the payment to be made within
a specified time or in specified installments. A judgment granting a
defendant time to pay the fine shall order that if the defendant
fails to pay the fine or any installment thereof on the date that it
is due, he or she shall appear in court on that date for further
proceedings. Willful violation of the order is punishable as
contempt.
(b) A judgment that a person convicted of any other violation of
this code be punished by a fine may also order, adjudge, and decree
that the person be imprisoned until the fine is satisfied. In all of
these cases, the judgment shall specify the extent of the
imprisonment which shall not exceed one day for every thirty dollars
($30) of the fine, nor extend in this case beyond the term for which
the defendant might be sentenced to imprisonment for the offense of
which he or she was convicted.
(c) In any case when a person appears before a traffic referee or
judge of the superior court for adjudication of a violation of this
code, the court, upon request of the defendant, shall consider the
defendant's ability to pay. Consideration of a defendant's ability to
pay may include his or her future earning capacity. A defendant
shall bear the burden of demonstrating lack of his or her ability to
pay. Express findings by the court as to the factors bearing on the
amount of the fine shall not be required. The reasonable cost of
these services and of probation shall not exceed the amount
determined to be the actual average cost thereof. The court shall
order the defendant to appear before a county officer designated by
the court to make an inquiry into the ability of the defendant to pay
all or a portion of those costs or the court or traffic referee may
make this determination at a hearing. At that hearing, the defendant
shall be entitled to have, but shall not be limited to, the
opportunity to be heard in person, to present witnesses and other
documentary evidence, to confront and cross-examine adverse
witnesses, to disclosure of the evidence against him or her, and to a
written statement of the findings of the court or the county
officer. If the court determines that the defendant has the ability
to pay all or part of the costs, the court shall set the amount to be
reimbursed and order the defendant to pay that sum to the county in
the manner in which the court believes reasonable and compatible with
the defendant's financial ability; or, with the consent of a
defendant who is placed on probation, the court shall order the
probation officer to set the amount of payment, which shall not
exceed the maximum amount set by the court, and the manner in which
the payment shall be made to the county. In making a determination of
whether a defendant has the ability to pay, the court shall take
into account the amount of any fine imposed upon the defendant and
any amount the defendant has been ordered to pay in restitution.
The court may hold additional hearings during the probationary
period. If practicable, the court or the probation officer shall
order payments to be made on a monthly basis. Execution may be issued
on the order in the same manner as a judgment in a civil action. The
order to pay all or part of the costs shall not be enforced by
contempt.
A payment schedule for reimbursement of the costs of presentence
investigation based on income shall be developed by the probation
department of each county and approved by the presiding judge of the
superior court.
(d) The term "ability to pay" means the overall capability of the
defendant to reimburse the costs, or a portion of the costs, of
conducting the presentence investigation, preparing the presentence
report, and probation, and includes, but is not limited to, all of
the following regarding the defendant:
(1) Present financial position.
(2) Reasonably discernible future financial position. In no event
shall the court consider a period of more than six months from the
date of the hearing for purposes of determining reasonably
discernible future financial position.
(3) Likelihood that the defendant will be able to obtain
employment within the six-month period from the date of the hearing.
(4) Any other factors that may bear upon the defendant's financial
capability to reimburse the county for the costs.
(e) At any time during the pendency of the judgment rendered
according to the terms of this section, a defendant against whom a
judgment has been rendered may petition the rendering court to modify
or vacate its previous judgment on the grounds of a change of
circumstances with regard to the defendant's ability to pay the
judgment. The court shall advise the defendant of this right at the
time of rendering of the judgment.