Rule 7-207.1 NMRA
Rule 7-207.1. Payment of fines, fees, and costs.
A. Payment arrangements. The court shall assess the defendant’s ability to pay
any fines, fees, or costs at the time of sentencing. If the defendant cannot pay the full
amount at the time of sentencing, the court shall permit the defendant to enter into an
agreement to pay in installments. The court shall provide the defendant with a deadline
by which the defendant shall be required to pay. The defendant may make any size or
number of payments or perform community service in lieu of payment as set forth in
Paragraph B of this rule, so long as the total amount is paid or community service
performed by the deadline set by the court. If the court orders a defendant to make a
contribution to crime stoppers or to participate in a program or activity that is owned or
operated by a third party and not by the court, such as treatment, counseling, victims
impact panel, certain drug testing, or certain schools, the defendant may not perform
community service in lieu of payment of any fees owed to that third party.
B. Community service in lieu of payment. The court shall permit a defendant to
perform community service in lieu of payment of all or any portion of the assessed fines,
fees, or costs, except for contributions and fees owed to third parties. The court shall
maintain a list of eligible community services agencies. The defendant shall receive
credit toward the fines, fees, or costs owed to the court at twice the prevailing state
hourly minimum wage rate or as otherwise required by law. If the defendant performs
community service in lieu of payment, all hours must be completed by the deadline for
payment set by the court. If the defendant fails to perform community service, the failure
to perform community service shall be treated the same as a failure to pay, and the
court shall follow the procedures set forth in Paragraphs C and D of this rule.
C. Failure to comply; issuance of summons or bench warrant.
(1)
Issuance and content of summons. If a defendant fails to pay or
perform community service by the deadline set by the court, the court shall issue a
summons within five (5) days of the deadline. The summons shall
(a) instruct the defendant to pay, complete hours of community service in lieu
of payment, or appear at the court’s customer service division within thirteen (13) days
after the date that the summons is issued;
(b) state that the defendant may request a hearing before the judge and that
the defendant’s ability to pay or perform community service in lieu of payment will be
addressed at any hearing; and
(c) notify the defendant that a bench warrant shall be issued if the defendant
fails to timely respond to the summons.
(2)
Service of summons. The court may serve a summons under this
paragraph using any method of service permitted by the Rules of Criminal Procedure for
the Metropolitan Courts.
(3)
Issuance of bench warrant. If a defendant fails to comply with a
summons issued under Subparagraph (C)(1) of this rule, the court shall issue a bench
warrant for failure to pay or perform community service. Once the defendant has been
arrested or has surrendered on the warrant, the court shall hold a hearing under
Paragraph D of this rule, unless the defendant has satisfied all outstanding obligations
to the court by making payment in full, performing community service, or serving a
period of confinement, including presentence confinement, in lieu of payment.
(4)
Subsequent failure to comply. If the defendant misses a deadline to pay
or perform community service, the court shall follow the procedure set forth in
Subparagraphs (C)(1) through (C)(3) of this rule. If the court extends the deadline as set
forth in Subparagraph D of this Rule, and the defendant fails to meet that deadline, the
court may issue a bench warrant and is not required to issue a summons prior to issuing
a bench warrant.
D. Failure to comply hearing. If the defendant is not able to either pay or perform
community service, then on or before the deadline set by the court, the defendant may
request a hearing for an extension of the deadline or for other relief. The court shall hold
a failure to comply hearing at the defendant’s request or following the defendant’s arrest
or surrender on a bench warrant, unless the defendant has satisfied all outstanding
obligations to the court by making payment in full, performing community service, or
serving a period of confinement, including presentence confinement, in lieu of payment.
If the defendant has been arrested and remains in custody, the court shall hold the
hearing within three (3) days of the defendant’s arrest. At the hearing, the court shall
determine the basis for the defendant’s failure to pay or to perform community service
as ordered by the court. If the court finds that the defendant is financially unable to pay
and is unable to perform community service, the court may waive the bench warrant
fee, revoke any unpaid portion of a fine, or grant other appropriate relief. If the court
finds that the defendant has willfully refused to pay or to perform community service, the
court may order the defendant committed to jail under NMSA 1978, Section 33-3-11. A
defendant shall receive credit toward the fine, fees, or costs at twenty-four times the
rate of the state minimum wage for each day or portion of a day of incarceration. A
defendant shall receive credit for all presentence confinement served.