(1) Any person liable for payment of any financial obligation in any criminal case is subject to the provisions of this section. Courts operating under the provisions of this section shall have jurisdiction over such financial obligations to ensure compliance.

(2) The court may require a person liable for payment of an obligation to appear and be examined under oath concerning the person’s financial ability to pay the obligation. The judge may convert the statutory financial obligation into a court-ordered obligation to perform community service, subject to the provisions of s. 318.18(8), after examining a person under oath and determining the person’s inability to pay. Any person who fails to attend a hearing may be arrested on warrant or capias issued by the clerk upon order of the court.

(3) The order requiring the person’s appearance shall be served a reasonable time before the date of the examination in the manner provided for service of summons, as provided for service of papers under rules of civil procedure, or by actual notice.

(4) Testimony may be taken regarding any subject relevant to the financial interests of the person tending to aid in satisfying the obligation. Other witnesses who may have information relevant to the issue of the person’s ability or lack of ability to pay the obligation may be examined. Documents and other exhibits may also be produced as evidence.

(5) The court may order that any nonexempt property of the person which is in the hands of another be applied toward satisfying the obligation.

(6) If judgment has not been previously entered on any court-imposed financial obligation, the court may enter judgment thereon and issue any writ necessary to enforce the judgment in the manner allowed in civil cases. Any judgment issued under this section constitutes a civil lien against the judgment debtor’s presently owned or after-acquired property, when recorded pursuant to s. 55.10. Supplementary proceedings undertaken by any governmental entity to satisfy a judgment imposed pursuant to this section may proceed without bond and without the payment of statutory fees associated with judgment enforcement.

(7) Provisions of the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act apply to collection matters under this section and may be used to collect any court-imposed financial obligation subject to this section.

(8) If a criminal or civil judgment has previously been entered on a court-imposed financial obligation, the judgment constitutes a civil lien against the judgment debtor’s presently owned or after-acquired real or personal property when recorded pursuant to s. 55.10, except that a judgment on a court-imposed financial obligation is not subject to the 10-year rerecording requirement of s. 55.10. The judgment must secure all unpaid court-imposed financial obligations that are due and may accrue subsequent to the recording of the judgment, as well as interest and reasonable costs for issuing a satisfaction and recording the satisfaction in the official records.

(9) The clerk of the court shall enforce, satisfy, compromise, settle, subordinate, release, or otherwise dispose of any debts or liens imposed and collected under this section in the same manner as prescribed in s. 938.29(3).

(10) In lieu of examining the person, or in addition thereto, the court may order the person to comply with a payment schedule to satisfy the obligation.

(11) Any person failing to appear or willfully failing to comply with an order under this section, including an order to comply with a payment schedule established by the clerk of court, may be held in civil contempt.

(12) Administrative costs incurred in enforcing compliance under this section shall be paid by the person. Such costs may include postage, copying, docketing fees, service fees, court reporter’s fees, and reimbursements for the costs of processing bench warrants and pickup orders. Reasonable attorney’s fees may be assessed at the court’s discretion. Judges may assess such administrative costs and attorney’s fees against the person as the court deems necessary to offset such fees and costs incurred under this section.

(13) The court may refer any proceeding under this section to a special magistrate who shall report findings and make recommendations to the court. The court shall act on such recommendations within a reasonable amount of time.

(14) The provisions of this section may be used in addition to, or in lieu of, other provisions of law for enforcing payment of court-imposed financial obligations in criminal cases. The court may enter any orders necessary to carry out the purposes of this section.

History.—s. 4, ch. 98-247; s. 1, ch. 99-266; s. 129, ch. 2003-402; s. 102, ch. 2004-11; s. 20, ch. 2012-100; s. 9, ch. 2013-109.