2018 Alaska Statutes
Title 47. Welfare, Social Services, and Institutions
Chapter 12. Delinquent Minors
Article 1. Juvenile Delinquency.
Sec. 47.12.170. Enforcement of restitution.
(a) An order by the court under AS 47.12.120 that a minor or the minor's parent pay restitution is a civil judgment that remains enforceable after the expiration of the court's jurisdiction over the minor under AS 47.12.160. A recipient of a restitution order, or the state on behalf of the restitution recipient, may enforce a restitution order against the minor and the minor's parent by any procedure authorized by law for enforcement of a civil judgment. If the restitution recipient enforces or collects restitution through civil process, collection costs and full reasonable attorney fees shall be awarded. If the state on the restitution recipient's behalf enforces or collects restitution through civil process, collection costs and full reasonable attorney fees shall be awarded, up to a maximum of twice the amount of restitution owing at the time the civil process was initiated. This section does not limit the authority of the court to otherwise enforce orders of payment for restitution. An order of restitution enforced under this section does not limit under other law the civil liability of the minor or the minor's parent as a result of the delinquent conduct.
(b) The Department of Law is authorized to collect restitution on behalf of the recipient unless
(1) the recipient elects as provided in (c) of this section to enforce the order of restitution without the assistance of the Department of Law; or
(2) the order requires restitution to be made in a form other than payment of a specific dollar amount.
(c) The court shall forward a copy of the restitution order to the department and the office of victims' rights when the order is entered. Upon receipt of the order, the department shall send a notice to the recipient regarding the recipient's rights under this section, including the right to elect to enforce the order of restitution without the assistance of the Department of Law and of the possibility of, and procedure for, receiving payment from the restorative justice account. When 90 days have passed since the recipient received the notice, or when the department receives the recipient's response to the notice, whichever is earlier, the department shall send to the Department of Law a copy of the order of restitution; the name, date of birth, social security number, and current address of the recipient, the minor, and the minor's parent; the notice sent to the recipient under this subsection; and the recipient's response, if any. If a response from the recipient reaches the department after the department has sent the order of restitution and other information to the Department of Law under this subsection, the department shall immediately send the response to the Department of Law. The information provided to the Department of Law and the office of victims' rights under this subsection is confidential and is not open to inspection as a public record under AS 40.25.110. The Department of Law, the office of victims' rights, or agents for the Department of Law or office of victims' rights may not disclose the information except as necessary to collect on the restitution.
(d) The Department of Law may not begin collection procedures on the order of restitution until the recipient has been given notice under (c) of this section and has been given 90 days after receipt of notice to elect to collect the restitution without the assistance of the Department of Law. If the Department of Law receives a response to the notice before the 90-day period, the Department of Law may begin collection on the restitution. A recipient may inform the Department of Law at a later time of the recipient's election to collect the restitution without the assistance of the Department of Law; upon receipt of the information, the Department of Law may no longer proceed with collection efforts on behalf of the recipient. A recipient who has elected under this section to collect restitution without the assistance of the Department of Law may not later request the services of that department to collect the restitution.
(e) If the Department of Law or its agents proceed to collect restitution on behalf of a recipient under (c) of this section, the actions of the Department of Law or an agent of the Department of Law on behalf of the recipient do not create an attorney-client relationship between the Department of Law and the recipient. The Department of Law or its agent may not settle a judgment for restitution without the consent of the recipient of the restitution.
(f) An action for damages may not be brought against the state or any of its agents, officers, or employees based on an action or omission under this section.
(g) The Department of Law may enter into contracts on behalf of the state to carry out the collection procedures of this section. The Department of Law may adopt regulations necessary to carry out the collection procedures of this section, including the reimbursement of attorney fees and costs in appropriate cases.
