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Illinois Compiled Statutes

Information maintained by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Updating the database of the Illinois Compiled Statutes (ILCS) is an ongoing process. Recent laws may not yet be included in the ILCS database, but they are found on this site as Public Acts soon after they become law. For information concerning the relationship between statutes and Public Acts, refer to the Guide.

Because the statute database is maintained primarily for legislative drafting purposes, statutory changes are sometimes included in the statute database before they take effect. If the source note at the end of a Section of the statutes includes a Public Act that has not yet taken effect, the version of the law that is currently in effect may have already been removed from the database and you should refer to that Public Act to see the changes made to the current law.

CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
(725 ILCS 5/) Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963.

725 ILCS 5/Art. 124A

 
    (725 ILCS 5/Art. 124A heading)
ARTICLE 124A. LIENS AND COSTS

725 ILCS 5/124A-5

    (725 ILCS 5/124A-5)
    Sec. 124A-5. Judgment for costs of prosecution.
    (a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b), when a person is convicted of an offense under a statute, or at common law, the court shall enter judgment that the offender pay the costs of the prosecution. The costs shall include reasonable costs incurred by the Sheriff for serving arrest warrants, for picking up the offender from a county other than the one in which he or she was convicted, and for picking up the offender from a location outside the State of Illinois pursuant either to his or her extradition or to his or her waiver of extradition.
    (b) During the first 180 days following a person's release from a penal institution, a court shall not order the person to pay any outstanding fines, taxes, or costs arising from a criminal proceeding involving the person.
(Source: P.A. 103-254, eff. 1-1-24.)

725 ILCS 5/124A-10

    (725 ILCS 5/124A-10)
    Sec. 124A-10. Lien. The property, real and personal, of a person who is convicted of an offense shall be bound, and a lien is created on the property, both real and personal, of every offender, not exempt from the enforcement of a judgment or attachment, from the time of finding the indictment at least so far as will be sufficient to pay the fine and costs of prosecution. The clerk of the court in which the conviction is had shall upon the expiration of 30 days after judgment is entered issue a certified copy of the judgment for any fine that remains unpaid, and all costs of conviction remaining unpaid. Unless a court ordered payment schedule is implemented, the clerk of the court may add to any judgment a delinquency amount equal to 5% of the unpaid fines, costs, fees, and penalties that remain unpaid after 30 days, 10% of the unpaid fines, costs, fees, and penalties that remain unpaid after 60 days, and 15% of the unpaid fines, costs, fees, and penalties that remain unpaid after 90 days. Notice to those parties affected may be made by signage posting or publication. The clerk of the court may also after a period of 90 days release to credit reporting agencies, information regarding unpaid amounts. The additional delinquency amounts collected under this Section shall be used to defray additional administrative costs incurred by the clerk of the court in collecting unpaid fines, costs, fees, and penalties. The certified copy of the judgment shall state the day on which the arrest was made or indictment found, as the case may be. Enforcement of the judgment may be directed to the proper officer of any county in this State. The officer to whom the certified copy of the judgment is delivered shall levy the judgment upon all the estate, real and personal, of the defendant (not exempt from enforcement) possessed by him or her on the day of the arrest or finding the indictment, as stated in the certified copy of the judgment and any such property subsequently acquired; and the property so levied upon shall be advertised and sold in the same manner as in civil cases, with the like rights to all parties that may be interested in the property. It is not an objection to the selling of any property under the judgment that the defendant is in custody for the fine or costs, or both.
(Source: P.A. 92-653, eff. 1-1-03.)

725 ILCS 5/124A-15

    (725 ILCS 5/124A-15)
    Sec. 124A-15. Reversal of conviction; refund of fines, fees, and costs.
    (a) A defendant convicted in a criminal prosecution whose conviction is reversed by a finding of factual innocence in a collateral proceeding such as habeas corpus or post-conviction relief under Article 122 of this Code is not liable for any costs or fees of the court or circuit clerk's office, or for any charge of subsistence while detained in custody. If the defendant has paid any costs, fine, or fees, in the case, a refund of those costs shall be determined by the judge and paid by the clerk of the court. The timing of the refund payment shall be determined by the clerk of the court based upon the availability of funds in the subject fund account.
    (b) To receive a refund under this Section, a defendant must submit a request for the refund to the clerk of the court on a form and in a manner prescribed by the clerk. The defendant must attach to the form an order from the court demonstrating the defendant's right to the refund and the amount of the refund.
(Source: P.A. 98-943, eff. 1-1-15; 99-883, eff. 1-1-17.)

725 ILCS 5/124A-20

    (725 ILCS 5/124A-20)
    Sec. 124A-20. Assessment waiver.
    (a) As used in this Section:
    "Assessments" means any costs imposed on a criminal defendant under Article 15 of the Criminal and Traffic Assessment Act, but does not include violation of the Illinois Vehicle Code assessments except as provided in subsection (a-5).
    "Indigent person" means any person who meets one or more of the following criteria:
        (1) He or she is receiving assistance under one or
    
more of the following means-based governmental public benefits programs: Supplemental Security Income; Aid to the Aged, Blind and Disabled; Temporary Assistance for Needy Families; Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; General Assistance; Transitional Assistance; or State Children and Family Assistance.
        (2) His or her available personal income is 200% or
    
less of the current poverty level, unless the applicant's assets that are not exempt under Part 9 or 10 of Article XII of the Code of Civil Procedure are of a nature and value that the court determines that the applicant is able to pay the assessments.
        (3) He or she is, in the discretion of the court,
    
unable to proceed in an action with payment of assessments and whose payment of those assessments would result in substantial hardship to the person or his or her family.
    "Poverty level" means the current poverty level as established by the United States Department of Health and Human Services.
    (a-5) In a county having a population of more than 3,000,000, "assessments" means any costs imposed on a criminal defendant under Article 15 of the Criminal and Traffic Assessment Act, including violation of the Illinois Vehicle Code assessments. This subsection is inoperative on and after July 1, 2024.
    (b) For criminal offenses reflected in Schedules 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, and 8 of Article 15 of the Criminal and Traffic Assessment Act, upon the application of any defendant, after the commencement of an action, but no later than 30 days after sentencing:
        (1) If the court finds that the applicant is an
    
indigent person, the court shall grant the applicant a full assessment waiver exempting him or her from the payment of any assessments.
        (2) The court shall grant the applicant a partial
    
assessment as follows:
            (A) 75% of all assessments shall be waived if the
        
applicant's available income is greater than 200% but no more than 250% of the poverty level, unless the applicant's assets that are not exempt under Part 9 or 10 of Article XII of the Code of Civil Procedure are such that the applicant is able, without undue hardship, to pay the total assessments.
            (B) 50% of all assessments shall be waived if the
        
applicant's available income is greater than 250% but no more than 300% of the poverty level, unless the applicant's assets that are not exempt under Part 9 or 10 of Article XII of the Code of Civil Procedure are such that the court determines that the applicant is able, without undue hardship, to pay a greater portion of the assessments.
            (C) 25% of all assessments shall be waived if the
        
applicant's available income is greater than 300% but no more than 400% of the poverty level, unless the applicant's assets that are not exempt under Part 9 or 10 of Article XII of the Code of Civil Procedure are such that the court determines that the applicant is able, without undue hardship, to pay a greater portion of the assessments.
    (b-5) For traffic and petty offenses reflected in Schedules 2, 6, 9, 10, and 13 of Article 15 of the Criminal and Traffic Assessment Act, upon the application of any defendant, after the commencement of an action, but no later than 30 days after sentencing, the court shall grant the applicant a partial assessment as follows:
        (1) 50% of all assessments shall be waived if the
    
court finds that the applicant is an indigent person or if the applicant's available income is not greater than 200% of the poverty level, unless the applicant's assets that are not exempt under Part 9 or 10 of Article XII of the Code of Civil Procedure are such that the applicant is able, without undue hardship, to pay the total assessments.
        (2) 37.5% of all assessments shall be waived if the
    
applicant's available income is greater than 200% but no more than 250% of the poverty level, unless the applicant's assets that are not exempt under Part 9 or 10 of Article XII of the Code of Civil Procedure are such that the applicant is able, without undue hardship, to pay the total assessments.
        (3) 25% of all assessments shall be waived if the
    
applicant's available income is greater than 250% but no more than 300% of the poverty level, unless the applicant's assets that are not exempt under Part 9 or 10 of Article XII of the Code of Civil Procedure are such that the court determines that the applicant is able, without undue hardship, to pay a greater portion of the assessments.
        (4) 12.5% of all assessments shall be waived if the
    
applicant's available income is greater than 300% but no more than 400% of the poverty level, unless the applicant's assets that are not exempt under Part 9 or 10 of Article XII of the Code of Civil Procedure are such that the court determines that the applicant is able, without undue hardship, to pay a greater portion of the assessments.
    (c) An application for a waiver of assessments shall be in writing, signed by the defendant or, if the defendant is a minor, by another person having knowledge of the facts, and filed no later than 30 days after sentencing. The contents of the application for a waiver of assessments, and the procedure for deciding the applications, shall be established by Supreme Court Rule. Factors to consider in evaluating an application shall include:
        (1) the applicant's receipt of needs based
    
governmental public benefits, including Supplemental Security Income (SSI); Aid to the Aged, Blind and Disabled (AABD); Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF); Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP or "food stamps"); General Assistance; Transitional Assistance; or State Children and Family Assistance;
        (2) the employment status of the applicant and amount
    
of monthly income, if any;
        (3) income received from the applicant's pension,
    
Social Security benefits, unemployment benefits, and other sources;
        (4) income received by the applicant from other
    
household members;
        (5) the applicant's monthly expenses, including
    
rent, home mortgage, other mortgage, utilities, food, medical, vehicle, childcare, debts, child support, and other expenses; and
        (6) financial affidavits or other similar supporting
    
documentation provided by the applicant showing that payment of the imposed assessments would result in substantial hardship to the applicant or the applicant's family.
    (d) The clerk of court shall provide the application for a waiver of assessments to any defendant who indicates an inability to pay the assessments. The clerk of the court shall post in a conspicuous place in the courthouse a notice, no smaller than 8.5 x 11 inches and using no smaller than 30-point typeface printed in English and in Spanish, advising criminal defendants they may ask the court for a waiver of any court ordered assessments. The notice shall be substantially as follows:
        "If you are unable to pay the required assessments,
    
you may ask the court to waive payment of them. Ask the clerk of the court for forms."
    (e) For good cause shown, the court may allow an applicant whose application is denied or who receives a partial assessment waiver to defer payment of the assessments, make installment payments, or make payment upon reasonable terms and conditions stated in the order.
    (f) Nothing in this Section shall be construed to affect the right of a party to court-appointed counsel, as authorized by any other provision of law or by the rules of the Illinois Supreme Court.
    (g) The provisions of this Section are severable under Section 1.31 of the Statute on Statutes.
(Source: P.A. 102-558, eff. 8-20-21; 102-620, eff. 8-27-21.)