Wash. Rev. Code § 9.94A.750

Current through the 2024 Regular Session

Section 9.94A.750 - Restitution

This section applies to offenses committed on or before July 1, 1985.

(1) If restitution is ordered, the court shall determine the amount of restitution due at the sentencing hearing or within 180 days. The court may continue the hearing beyond the 180 days for good cause. The court shall then set a minimum monthly payment that the offender is required to make towards the restitution that is ordered. The court shall not issue any order that postpones the commencement of restitution payments until after the offender is released from total confinement. The court should take into consideration the total amount of the restitution owed, the offender's present, past, and future ability to pay, as well as any assets that the offender may have. An offender's inability to make restitution payments while in total confinement may not be the basis for a violation of his or her sentence unless his or her inability to make payments resulted from a refusal to accept an employment offer to a class I or class II job or a termination for cause from such a job.

(2) During the period of supervision, the community corrections officer may examine the offender to determine if there has been a change in circumstances that warrants an amendment of the monthly payment schedule. The community corrections officer may recommend a change to the schedule of payment and shall inform the court of the recommended change and the reasons for the change. The sentencing court may then reset the monthly minimum payments based on the report from the community corrections officer of the change in circumstances.

(3)

(a) Except as provided in subsection (6) of this section, restitution ordered by a court pursuant to a criminal conviction shall be based on easily ascertainable damages for injury to or loss of property, actual expenses incurred for treatment for injury to persons, and lost wages resulting from injury. Restitution shall not include reimbursement for damages for mental anguish, pain and suffering, or other intangible losses, but may include the costs of counseling reasonably related to the offense. The amount of restitution shall not exceed double the amount of the offender's gain or the victim's loss from the commission of the offense.

(b) At any time, including at sentencing, the court may determine that the offender is not required to pay, or may relieve the offender of the requirement to pay, full or partial restitution and accrued interest on restitution where the entity to whom restitution is owed is an insurer or state agency, except for restitution owed to the department of labor and industries under chapter 7.68 RCW, if the court finds that the offender does not have the current or likely future ability to pay. A person does not have the current ability to pay if the person is indigent as defined in RCW 10.01.160(3). For the purposes of this subsection:

(i) "Insurer" means any insurer as defined and authorized under Title 48 RCW. "Insurer" does not include an individual self-insurance program or joint self-insurance program.

(ii) "Self-insurance" means a formal program of advance funding and management of entity financial exposure to a risk of loss that is not transferred through the purchase of an insurance policy or contract.

(iii) "State agency" has the same meaning as provided in RCW 42.56.010(1).

(4) For the purposes of this section, the offender shall remain under the court's jurisdiction for a term of 10 years following the offender's release from total confinement or 10 years subsequent to the entry of the judgment and sentence, whichever period is longer. Prior to the expiration of the initial 10-year period, the superior court may extend jurisdiction under the criminal judgment an additional 10 years for payment of restitution. The portion of the sentence concerning restitution may be modified as to amount, terms and conditions during either the initial 10-year period or subsequent 10-year period if the criminal judgment is extended, regardless of the expiration of the offender's term of community supervision and regardless of the statutory maximum sentence for the crime. The court may not reduce the total amount of restitution ordered because the offender may lack the ability to pay the total amount. The offender's compliance with the restitution shall be supervised by the department only during any period which the department is authorized to supervise the offender in the community under RCW 9.94A.728, 9.94A.501, or in which the offender is in confinement in a state correctional institution or a correctional facility pursuant to a transfer agreement with the department, and the department shall supervise the offender's compliance during any such period. The department is responsible for supervision of the offender only during confinement and authorized supervision and not during any subsequent period in which the offender remains under the court's jurisdiction. The county clerk is authorized to collect unpaid restitution at any time the offender remains under the jurisdiction of the court for purposes of his or her legal financial obligations.

(5) Restitution may be ordered whenever the offender is convicted of an offense which results in injury to any person or damage to or loss of property or as provided in subsection (6) of this section. In addition, restitution may be ordered to pay for an injury, loss, or damage if the offender pleads guilty to a lesser offense or fewer offenses and agrees with the prosecutor's recommendation that the offender be required to pay restitution to a victim of an offense or offenses which are not prosecuted pursuant to a plea agreement.

(6) Restitution for the crime of rape of a child in the first, second, or third degree, in which the victim becomes pregnant, shall include:

(a) All of the victim's medical expenses that are associated with the rape and resulting pregnancy; and

(b) child support for any child born as a result of the rape if child support is ordered pursuant to a proceeding in superior court or administrative order for support for that child. The clerk must forward any restitution payments made on behalf of the victim's child to the Washington state child support registry under chapter 26.23 RCW. Identifying information about the victim and child shall not be included in the order. The offender shall receive a credit against any obligation owing under the administrative or superior court order for support of the victim's child. For the purposes of this subsection, the offender shall remain under the court's jurisdiction until the offender has satisfied support obligations under the superior court or administrative order but not longer than a maximum term of 25 years following the offender's release from total confinement or 25 years subsequent to the entry of the judgment and sentence, whichever period is longer. The court may not reduce the total amount of restitution ordered because the offender may lack the ability to pay the total amount. The department shall supervise the offender's compliance with the restitution ordered under this subsection.

(7) In addition to any sentence that may be imposed, an offender who has been found guilty of an offense involving fraud or other deceptive practice or an organization which has been found guilty of any such offense may be ordered by the sentencing court to give notice of the conviction to the class of persons or to the sector of the public affected by the conviction or financially interested in the subject matter of the offense by mail, by advertising in designated areas or through designated media, or by other appropriate means.

(8) This section does not limit civil remedies or defenses available to the victim or offender including support enforcement remedies for support ordered under subsection (6) of this section for a child born as a result of a rape of a child victim. The court shall identify in the judgment and sentence the victim or victims entitled to restitution and what amount is due each victim. The state or victim may enforce the court-ordered restitution in the same manner as a judgment in a civil action. Restitution collected through civil enforcement must be paid through the registry of the court and must be distributed proportionately according to each victim's loss when there is more than one victim.

RCW 9.94A.750

Amended by 2022 c 260,§ 2, eff. 1/1/2023.

Amended by 2018 c 123,§ 1, eff. 6/7/2018.

2003 c 379 § 15; 2000 c 28 § 32. Prior: 1997 c 121 § 3; 1997 c 52 § 1; 1995 c 231 § 1; 1994 c 271 § 601; 1989 c 252 § 5; 1987 c 281 § 3; 1982 c 192 § 5; 1981 c 137 § 14. Formerly RCW 9.94A.140.

Construction-Effective date-2022 c 260: See notes following RCW 3.66.120.

Severability-Effective dates-2003 c 379: See notes following RCW 9.94A.728.

Intent-Purpose-2003 c 379 ss 13-27: See note following RCW 9.94A.760.

Technical correction bill-2000 c 28: See note following RCW 9.94A.015.

Retroactive application-1995 c 231 ss 1 and 2: "Sections 1 and 2 of this act shall apply retroactively to allow courts to set restitution in cases sentenced prior to July 23, 1995, if:

(1) The court failed to set restitution within sixty days of sentencing as required by RCW 9.94A.140 prior to July 23, 1995;

(2) The defendant was sentenced no more than three hundred sixty-five days before July 23, 1995; and

(3) The defendant is not unfairly prejudiced by the delay.

In those cases, the court may set restitution within one hundred eighty days of July 23, 1995, or at a later hearing set by the court for good cause." [ 1995 c 231 s 5.]

Purpose-Severability-1994 c 271: See notes following RCW 9A.28.020.

Purpose-Prospective application-Effective dates-Severability-1989 c 252: See notes following RCW 9.94A.030.

Effective date-1987 c 281: See note following RCW 7.68.020.