Collection of Fines, Costs, Penalties, and Forfeitures

V.S.A. tit. 13, ch. 223, subch. 1

in effect

13 V.S.A. § 7171 Collection by complaint, information, or indictment

7171. Collection by complaint, information, or indictment (a) Fines, forfeitures, and penalties incurred or imposed by statute may be recovered by complaint, information, or indictment, unless some other mode of recovery is specially provided. (b) The Court Administrator is authorized to contract with private collection agencies for collection of penalties, fines, surcharges, court costs, and any other assessment authorized by law incurred or imposed by statute on persons who fail to pay, at or after time of judgment, after notice that failure to pay the debt will result in the debt being referred to a collection agency and that the debtor will be liable for the collection agency’s fee. The Court Administrator may agree to pay collection agencies a fee based on a fixed rate for services rendered or a percentage of the amount actually collected by such agencies and remitted to the state. The debtor shall be liable for the collection agency’s fee, in addition to the judgment amount. The collection agency shall deduct its fee from the collected amount and remit the balance to the judiciary. All collection agency fees shall be governed by the contract with the Court Administrator and shall be clearly disclosed in all notices sent by the collection agency to the debtor. Amended 1985, No. 266 (Adj. Sess.), § 7, eff. June 4, 1986; 2007, No. 51, § 4; 2009, No. 4, § 117, eff. April 29, 2009.

13 V.S.A. § 7172 Liability of person fined; security; imprisonment

7172. Liability of person fined; security; imprisonment (a) A person fined for the breach of a penal law or other offense shall pay such fine or give sufficient security for the same, or shall be imprisoned by order of the court before which the trial is had, as provided in such case, or be liable to have his or her estate sold therefor. (b) Cost of prosecution shall not be taxed against a respondent in any criminal cause. Amended 1969, No. 131, § 5, eff. April 23, 1969.

13 V.S.A. § 7173 Mittimus against property of respondent

7173. Mittimus against property of respondent A mittimus issued by a court for the collection of a penalty, and fine in criminal prosecutions, in the discretion of such court, in addition to the prescribed form, may be issued against the goods, chattels, or lands of the respondent in the form in which executions are issued. Such mittimus may be levied upon the goods, chattels, or lands of the respondent, and the same sold in satisfaction thereof as in the sale of personal property or real estate upon execution. Amended 1969, No. 131, § 6, eff. April 23, 1969.

13 V.S.A. § 7178 Suspension of fines

7178. Suspension of fines A Superior judge, in his or her discretion, may suspend all or any part of the fine assessed against a respondent. Amended 1969, No. 131, § 7, eff. April 23, 1969; 1969, No. 222 (Adj. Sess.), § 4; 1973, No. 249 (Adj. Sess.), § 57, eff. April 9, 1974; 2009, No. 154 (Adj. Sess.), § 115.

Source: Vermont General Assembly (legislature.vermont.gov)URL: https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/chapter/13/223Fetched: 10/21/2026