What if I can't pay my fines or restitution?

This is one of the most misunderstood areas of probation, and the misunderstanding causes people to stop reporting entirely.

Willfulness matters. A person who cannot pay despite genuine effort is in a different position from one who chose not to. Courts are required to consider ability to pay before revoking supervision on that basis, and the burden framework reflects that.

What supports a finding of inability: documentation of income, unemployment records, medical expenses, evidence of job searching, and a history of making partial payments when possible.

What destroys it: stopping communication. A person who disappears rather than reporting an inability to pay converts a defensible situation into an absconding allegation.

What to do: keep reporting, document everything, make partial payments where possible even if small, and ask counsel about modifying the payment schedule or converting the obligation to community service where that's available.

The statute also specifically identifies failure to meet a monthly payment quota among the low-risk violations eligible for alternative sanctioning.