Mississippi Code 1972 (2024)
Title 99 - CRIMINAL PROCEDURE (§§ 99-1-1 — 99-51-3)
Chapter 37 - RESTITUTION TO VICTIMS OF CRIMES (§§ 99-37-1 — 99-37-25)
Section 99-37-7 - Treatment of default in payment as contempt; judicial officer not liable for failure of defendant to pay fine or make restitution

• (1) Subject to the provisions of Section 99-19-20.1, when a defendant sentenced to pay a fine or to make restitution defaults in the payment thereof or of any installment, the court, on motion of the district attorney, or upon its own motion, may require him to show cause why his default should not be treated as contempt of court, and may issue a show cause citation or a warrant of arrest for his appearance.

• (2) Subject to the provisions of Section 99-19-20.1, unless the defendant shows that his default was not attributable to an intentional refusal to obey the order of the court or to a failure on his part to make a good faith effort to make the payment, the court may find that his default constitutes contempt and may order him committed until the fine or the restitution, or a specified part thereof, is paid.

• (3) A judicial officer shall not be held criminally or civilly liable for failure of any defendant to pay any fine or to make restitution if the officer exercises his judicial authority in accordance with subsections (1) and (2) of this section to require the payment of such fine or restitution.

• (4) When a fine or an order of restitution is imposed on a corporation or unincorporated association, it is the duty of the person authorized to make disbursement from the assets of the corporation or association to pay the fine or make the restitution from those assets, and his failure to do so may be held to be contempt unless he makes the showing required in subsection (2) of this section.

Laws, 1978, ch. 400, § 4 (1-3); Laws, 1991, ch. 481, § 1, eff. 7/1/1991.

Amended by Laws, 2018, ch. 416, HB 387,§ 3, eff. 7/1/2018.