Alaska Statutes
Alaska Stat. § 12.55.051 (2026)
Enforcement of fines and restitution
✓ current as of July 2026
Find cases:
SyfertCases citing this section
AK-LEGakleg.gov
JustiaTitle on Justia
CornellLII Search
CasesGoogle Scholar
Sec. 12.55.051. Enforcement of fines and restitution.
(a) If the defendant defaults in the payment of a fine or any installment or of restitution or any installment, the court may order the defendant to show cause why the defendant should not be sentenced to imprisonment for nonpayment and, if the payment was made a condition of the defendant's probation, may revoke the probation of the defendant. In a contempt or probation revocation proceeding brought as a result of failure to pay a fine or restitution, it is an affirmative defense that the defendant was unable to pay despite having made continuing good faith efforts to pay the fine or restitution. If the court finds that the defendant was unable to pay despite having made continuing good faith efforts, the defendant may not be imprisoned solely because of the inability to pay. If the court does not find that the default was attributable to the defendant's inability to pay despite having made continuing good faith efforts to pay the fine or restitution, the court may order the defendant imprisoned until the order of the court is satisfied. A term of imprisonment imposed under this section may not exceed one day for each $50 of the unpaid portion of the fine or restitution or one year, whichever is shorter. Credit shall be given toward satisfaction of the order of the court for every day a person is incarcerated for nonpayment of a fine or restitution.
(b) When a fine or restitution is imposed on an organization, the person authorized to make disbursements from the assets of the organization shall pay the fine or restitution from those assets. A person required to pay a fine or restitution under this subsection who intentionally refuses or fails to make a good faith effort to pay is punishable under (a) of this section.
(c) A defendant who has been sentenced to pay a fine or restitution may request a hearing regarding the defendant's ability to pay the fine or restitution at any time that the defendant is required to pay all or a portion of the fine or restitution. The court may deny the request if it has previously considered the defendant's ability to pay and the defendant's request does not allege changed circumstances. If, at a hearing under this subsection, the defendant proves by a preponderance of the evidence that the defendant will be unable through good faith efforts to satisfy the order requiring payment of the fine or restitution, the court shall modify the order so that the defendant can pay the fine or restitution through good faith efforts. The court may reduce the fine ordered, change the payment schedule, or otherwise modify the order. The court may not reduce an order of restitution but may change the payment schedule.
(d) The state may enforce payment of a fine against a defendant under AS 09.35 as if the order were a civil judgment enforceable by execution. This subsection does not limit the authority of the court to enforce fines.
(e) The Department of Law is authorized to collect restitution on behalf of the recipient unless
(1) the recipient elects as provided in (f) of this section to enforce the order of restitution without the assistance of the Department of Law; or
(2) the order requires restitution to be made in a form other than payment of a specific dollar amount.
(f) The court shall forward a copy of an order of restitution to the Department of Law and the office of victims' rights when the judgment is entered. Along with the copy of the order, the court shall provide the name, date of birth, social security number, and current address of the recipient of the restitution and the defendant, to the extent that the court has that information in its possession. Upon receipt of the order and other information from the court, the Department of Law shall send a notice to the recipient regarding the recipient's rights under this section, including the right to elect to enforce the order of restitution without the assistance of the Department of Law and of the possibility of, and procedure for, receiving payment from the restorative justice account. The information provided to the Department of Law and the office of victims' rights under this subsection is confidential and is not open to inspection as a public record under AS 40.25.110. The Department of Law, the office of victims' rights, or agents for the Department of Law or office of victims' rights may not disclose the information except as necessary to collect on the restitution.
(g) The Department of Law may not begin collection procedures on the order of restitution until the recipient has been given notice and has been given 90 days after receipt of notice to elect to collect the restitution without the assistance of the Department of Law. If the Department of Law receives a response to the notice before the 90-day period, the Department of Law may begin collection on the restitution. A recipient may inform the Department of Law at a later time of the recipient's election to collect the restitution without the assistance of the Department of Law; upon receipt of that information, the Department of Law may no longer proceed with collection efforts on behalf of the recipient. A recipient who has elected under this section to collect restitution without the assistance of the Department of Law may not later request the services of that department to collect the restitution.
(h) If the Department of Law or its agents proceed to collect restitution on behalf of a recipient under (g) of this section, the actions of the Department of Law or an agent of the Department of Law on behalf of the recipient do not create an attorney-client relationship between the Department of Law and the recipient. The Department of Law or its agents may not settle a judgment for restitution without the consent of the recipient of the restitution.
(i) An action for damages may not be brought against the state or any of its agents, officers, or employees based on an action or omission under this section.
(j) The Department of Law may enter into contracts on behalf of the state to carry out the collection procedures of this section. The Department of Law may adopt regulations necessary to carry out the collection procedures of this section, including the reimbursement of attorney fees and costs in appropriate cases.
(a) If the defendant defaults in the payment of a fine or any installment or of restitution or any installment, the court may order the defendant to show cause why the defendant should not be sentenced to imprisonment for nonpayment and, if the payment was made a condition of the defendant's probation, may revoke the probation of the defendant. In a contempt or probation revocation proceeding brought as a result of failure to pay a fine or restitution, it is an affirmative defense that the defendant was unable to pay despite having made continuing good faith efforts to pay the fine or restitution. If the court finds that the defendant was unable to pay despite having made continuing good faith efforts, the defendant may not be imprisoned solely because of the inability to pay. If the court does not find that the default was attributable to the defendant's inability to pay despite having made continuing good faith efforts to pay the fine or restitution, the court may order the defendant imprisoned until the order of the court is satisfied. A term of imprisonment imposed under this section may not exceed one day for each $50 of the unpaid portion of the fine or restitution or one year, whichever is shorter. Credit shall be given toward satisfaction of the order of the court for every day a person is incarcerated for nonpayment of a fine or restitution.
(b) When a fine or restitution is imposed on an organization, the person authorized to make disbursements from the assets of the organization shall pay the fine or restitution from those assets. A person required to pay a fine or restitution under this subsection who intentionally refuses or fails to make a good faith effort to pay is punishable under (a) of this section.
(c) A defendant who has been sentenced to pay a fine or restitution may request a hearing regarding the defendant's ability to pay the fine or restitution at any time that the defendant is required to pay all or a portion of the fine or restitution. The court may deny the request if it has previously considered the defendant's ability to pay and the defendant's request does not allege changed circumstances. If, at a hearing under this subsection, the defendant proves by a preponderance of the evidence that the defendant will be unable through good faith efforts to satisfy the order requiring payment of the fine or restitution, the court shall modify the order so that the defendant can pay the fine or restitution through good faith efforts. The court may reduce the fine ordered, change the payment schedule, or otherwise modify the order. The court may not reduce an order of restitution but may change the payment schedule.
(d) The state may enforce payment of a fine against a defendant under AS 09.35 as if the order were a civil judgment enforceable by execution. This subsection does not limit the authority of the court to enforce fines.
(e) The Department of Law is authorized to collect restitution on behalf of the recipient unless
(1) the recipient elects as provided in (f) of this section to enforce the order of restitution without the assistance of the Department of Law; or
(2) the order requires restitution to be made in a form other than payment of a specific dollar amount.
(f) The court shall forward a copy of an order of restitution to the Department of Law and the office of victims' rights when the judgment is entered. Along with the copy of the order, the court shall provide the name, date of birth, social security number, and current address of the recipient of the restitution and the defendant, to the extent that the court has that information in its possession. Upon receipt of the order and other information from the court, the Department of Law shall send a notice to the recipient regarding the recipient's rights under this section, including the right to elect to enforce the order of restitution without the assistance of the Department of Law and of the possibility of, and procedure for, receiving payment from the restorative justice account. The information provided to the Department of Law and the office of victims' rights under this subsection is confidential and is not open to inspection as a public record under AS 40.25.110. The Department of Law, the office of victims' rights, or agents for the Department of Law or office of victims' rights may not disclose the information except as necessary to collect on the restitution.
(g) The Department of Law may not begin collection procedures on the order of restitution until the recipient has been given notice and has been given 90 days after receipt of notice to elect to collect the restitution without the assistance of the Department of Law. If the Department of Law receives a response to the notice before the 90-day period, the Department of Law may begin collection on the restitution. A recipient may inform the Department of Law at a later time of the recipient's election to collect the restitution without the assistance of the Department of Law; upon receipt of that information, the Department of Law may no longer proceed with collection efforts on behalf of the recipient. A recipient who has elected under this section to collect restitution without the assistance of the Department of Law may not later request the services of that department to collect the restitution.
(h) If the Department of Law or its agents proceed to collect restitution on behalf of a recipient under (g) of this section, the actions of the Department of Law or an agent of the Department of Law on behalf of the recipient do not create an attorney-client relationship between the Department of Law and the recipient. The Department of Law or its agents may not settle a judgment for restitution without the consent of the recipient of the restitution.
(i) An action for damages may not be brought against the state or any of its agents, officers, or employees based on an action or omission under this section.
(j) The Department of Law may enter into contracts on behalf of the state to carry out the collection procedures of this section. The Department of Law may adopt regulations necessary to carry out the collection procedures of this section, including the reimbursement of attorney fees and costs in appropriate cases.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 16
cases (3 in the last 5 years), 1983–2025 · leading case: Karr v. State, 686 P.2d 1192 (Alaska 1984).
Karr v. State, 686 P.2d 1192 (Alaska 1984). “The opportunity provided by AS 12.55.051 for the court to later modify a restitution order does not replace this legislative mandate.”
Murphy v. City of Wrangell, 763 P.2d 229 (Alaska 1988). “After proceedings which were held in conformity with AS 12.55.051(a) 1 the magistrate entered a finding that Murphy intentionally refused to pay the fine *231 despite his ability to do so.”
Hodges v. State, 158 P.3d 864 (Alaska Ct. App. 2007). “This view of the matter is confirmed by the companion statute, AS 12.55.051, which deals with the enforcement of restitution orders.”
Lapp v. State, 220 P.3d 534 (Alaska Ct. App. 2009). “AS The legislature also amended subsection AS 12.55.051(c), which authorizes the Department of Law to collect restitution on behalf of a recipient.”
Ortiz v. State, 173 P.3d 430 (Alaska Ct. App. 2007). “Subsection (a) of AS 12.55.051, which governs enforcement of restitution orders, declares that the sentencing court is authorized to imprison the defendant for a term that "may not exceed one day for each $50 of the unpaid portion of the .”
Brezenoff v. State, 658 P.2d 1359 (Alaska Ct. App. 1983). “AS 12.55.051(c) (the court may order modification of the amount of restitution ordered or of the terms of payment at any time if the defendant’s inability to pay is established).”
R.C., a minor v. State, 435 P.3d 1022 (Alaska Ct. App. 2018). “If the offender is haled into court for nonpayment of restitution under AS 12.55.051(a), or if the offender petitions the court under AS 12.”
Lominac v. Mun. of Anchorage, 658 P.2d 792 (Alaska Ct. App. 1983). “Prior to making his decision to revoke Lo-minac’s probation, Judge Mason indicated his awareness of AS 12.55.051, and he acknowledged that, because Lominac’s failure to pay restitution was unintentional, the statute precluded him from directly ordering her incarceration for…”
Scott Abraham Groom v. State of Alaska, 551 P.3d 567 (Alaska Ct. App. 2024). “”31 As this Court has noted, this statute undermines the restorative purpose of restitution while promoting its punitive purpose: “A victim is not compensated by having the defendant spend time in jail.”
Clark v. State, 953 P.2d 159 (Alaska Ct. App. 1998). “As provided in AS 12.55.051(d), a restitution order is enforceable as a civil judgment under AS 09.”
Thompson v. State, 64 P.3d 132 (Alaska Ct. App. 2003). “The State points out that if a defendant is later unable to satisfy a restitution obligation imposed at sentencing, the defendant is entitled to ask for a hearing under AS 12.55.051(c). This statute provides that, if the defendant “proves by a preponderance of the evidence that…”
Karr v. State, 660 P.2d 450 (Alaska Ct. App. 1983). “See AS 12.55.051. In the event it is revoked she is entitled to another sentence appeal.”
— Alaska Stat. § 12.55.051(a) — 9 cases
Murphy v. City of Wrangell, 763 P.2d 229 (Alaska 1988). “After proceedings which were held in conformity with AS 12.55.051(a) 1 the magistrate entered a finding that Murphy intentionally refused to pay the fine *231 despite his ability to do so.”
Karr v. State, 686 P.2d 1192 (Alaska 1984). “The opportunity provided by AS 12.55.051 for the court to later modify a restitution order does not replace this legislative mandate.”
R.C., a minor v. State, 435 P.3d 1022 (Alaska Ct. App. 2018). “If the offender is haled into court for nonpayment of restitution under AS 12.55.051(a), or if the offender petitions the court under AS 12.”
Hodges v. State, 158 P.3d 864 (Alaska Ct. App. 2007). “This view of the matter is confirmed by the companion statute, AS 12.55.051, which deals with the enforcement of restitution orders.”
Ortiz v. State, 173 P.3d 430 (Alaska Ct. App. 2007). “Subsection (a) of AS 12.55.051, which governs enforcement of restitution orders, declares that the sentencing court is authorized to imprison the defendant for a term that "may not exceed one day for each $50 of the unpaid portion of the .”
— Alaska Stat. § 12.55.051(c) — 8 cases
Karr v. State, 686 P.2d 1192 (Alaska 1984). “The opportunity provided by AS 12.55.051 for the court to later modify a restitution order does not replace this legislative mandate.”
Brezenoff v. State, 658 P.2d 1359 (Alaska Ct. App. 1983). “AS 12.55.051(c) (the court may order modification of the amount of restitution ordered or of the terms of payment at any time if the defendant’s inability to pay is established).”
R.C., a minor v. State, 435 P.3d 1022 (Alaska Ct. App. 2018). “If the offender is haled into court for nonpayment of restitution under AS 12.55.051(a), or if the offender petitions the court under AS 12.”
Hodges v. State, 158 P.3d 864 (Alaska Ct. App. 2007). “This view of the matter is confirmed by the companion statute, AS 12.55.051, which deals with the enforcement of restitution orders.”
Lapp v. State, 220 P.3d 534 (Alaska Ct. App. 2009). “AS The legislature also amended subsection AS 12.55.051(c), which authorizes the Department of Law to collect restitution on behalf of a recipient.”
— Alaska Stat. § 12.55.051(d) — 2 cases
Lapp v. State, 220 P.3d 534 (Alaska Ct. App. 2009). “AS The legislature also amended subsection AS 12.55.051(c), which authorizes the Department of Law to collect restitution on behalf of a recipient.”
Clark v. State, 953 P.2d 159 (Alaska Ct. App. 1998). “As provided in AS 12.55.051(d), a restitution order is enforceable as a civil judgment under AS 09.”
— Alaska Stat. § 12.55.051(e) — 1 case
Hodges v. State, 158 P.3d 864 (Alaska Ct. App. 2007). “This view of the matter is confirmed by the companion statute, AS 12.55.051, which deals with the enforcement of restitution orders.”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the
Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and
treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.