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PUBLIC LAWS OF MAINE
First Special Session of the 118th

CHAPTER 413
S.P. 274 - L.D. 882

An Act to Require Defendants to Pay Restitution, Monetarily or Through Work Restitution

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:

     Sec. 1. 17-A MRSA §1325, sub-§1, ¶C, as enacted by PL 1977, c. 455, §3, is amended to read:

     Sec. 2. 17-A MRSA §1325, sub-§2, ¶D, as enacted by PL 1977, c. 455, §3, is amended to read:

     Sec. 3. 17-A MRSA §1325, sub-§4 is enacted to read:

     4. Burdens of proof. An offender who asserts a present or future incapacity to pay restitution has the burden of proving the incapacity by a preponderance of the evidence. On appeal of a restitution order, the offender has the burden of demonstrating that the incapacity was proven as a matter of law.

     Sec. 4. 17-A MRSA §1328, as enacted by PL 1977, c. 455, §3, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:

§1328. Postconviction relief

     If, in any judicial proceeding following conviction, a court issues a final judgment invalidating the conviction, the judgment may include an order that any or all of a restitution payment that the convicted person paid pursuant to the sentence for that conviction be returned to the convicted person.

     Sec. 5. 17-A MRSA §1328-A is enacted to read:

§1328-A. Modification of restitution

     A convicted person who can not make restitution payments in the manner ordered by the court shall move the court for a modification of the time or method of payment or service to avoid a default. The court may modify its prior order to reduce the amount of each installment or to allow additional time for payment or service.

     Sec. 6. 17-A MRSA §1329, sub-§2, as amended by PL 1989, c. 502, Pt. D, §15, is further amended to read:

     2. Reports. A probation officer having knowledge of a default in restitution by an offender shall report the default to the office of the prosecutor attorney for the State. A prosecutor An attorney for the State having knowledge of a default in restitution by an offender shall report the default to the court. If the restitution was a condition of probation, the attorney for the State may file a motion to enforce payment of restitution or, with the written consent of the probation officer, a motion to revoke probation under section 1205. If the restitution was not a condition of probation, the attorney for the State may file a motion to enforce payment of restitution.

     Sec. 7. 17-A MRSA §1329, sub-§§3, 4 and 5 are enacted to read:

     3. Motion to enforce payment of restitution. Either the attorney for the State or the court may initiate a motion to enforce payment of restitution. Notification for the hearing on the motion must be sent by regular mail to the offender's last known address. If the offender does not appear for the hearing after proper notification has been sent, the court may issue a bench warrant.

     4. Collection. Upon any default, execution may be levied and other measures authorized for the collection of unpaid civil judgments may be taken to collect the unpaid restitution. A levy of execution does not discharge an offender confined to a county jail under subsection 3 for unexcused default until the full amount of the restitution has been collected.

     5. Organizations. When restitution is imposed on an organization, the person or persons authorized to make disbursements from the assets of the organization shall pay the restitution from the organization's assets. Failure to do so may subject the person or persons to court action pursuant to this section.

Effective September 19, 1997, unless otherwise indicated.

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