2005 North Carolina Code - General Statutes § 15A-1343. Conditions of probation.

§ 15A‑1343.  Conditions of probation.

(a)       In General. – The court may impose conditions of probation reasonably necessary to insure that the defendant will lead a law‑abiding life or to assist him to do so.

(b)       Regular Conditions. – As regular conditions of probation, a defendant must:

(1)       Commit no criminal offense in any jurisdiction.

(2)       Remain within the jurisdiction of the court unless granted written permission to leave by the court or his probation officer.

(3)       Report as directed by the court or his probation officer to the officer at reasonable times and places and in a reasonable manner, permit the officer to visit him at reasonable times, answer all reasonable inquiries by the officer and obtain prior approval from the officer for, and notify the officer of, any change in address or employment.

(4)       Satisfy child support and other family obligations as required by the court. If the court requires the payment of child support, the amount of the payments shall be determined as provided in G.S. 50‑13.4(c).

(5)       Possess no firearm, explosive device or other deadly weapon listed in G.S. 14‑269 without the written permission of the court.

(6)       Pay a supervision fee as specified in subsection (c1).

(7)       Remain gainfully and suitably employed or faithfully pursue a course of study or of vocational training that will equip him for suitable employment. A defendant pursuing a course of study or of vocational training shall abide by all of the rules of the institution providing the education or training, and the probation officer shall forward a copy of the probation judgment to that institution and request to be notified of any violations of institutional rules by the defendant.

(8)       Notify the probation officer if he fails to obtain or retain satisfactory employment.

(9)       Pay the costs of court, any fine ordered by the court, and make restitution or reparation as provided in subsection (d).

(10)     Pay the State of North Carolina for the costs of appointed counsel, public defender, or appellate defender to represent him in the case(s) for which he was placed on probation.

(11)     At a time to be designated by his probation officer, visit with his probation officer a facility maintained by the Division of Prisons.

(12)     Attend and complete an abuser treatment program if (i) the court finds the defendant is responsible for acts of domestic violence and (ii) there is a program, approved by the Domestic Violence Commission, reasonably available to the defendant, unless the court finds that such would not be in the best interests of justice.

A defendant shall not pay costs associated with a substance abuse monitoring program or any other special condition of probation in lieu of, or prior to, the payments required by this subsection.

In addition to these regular conditions of probation, a defendant required to serve an active term of imprisonment as a condition of special probation pursuant to G.S. 15A‑1344(e) or G.S. 15A‑1351(a) shall, as additional regular conditions of probation, obey the rules and regulations of the Department of Correction governing the conduct of inmates while imprisoned and report to a probation officer in the State of North Carolina within 72 hours of his discharge from the active term of imprisonment.

Regular conditions of probation apply to each defendant placed on supervised probation unless the presiding judge specifically exempts the defendant from one or more of the conditions in open court and in the judgment of the court. It is not necessary for the presiding judge to state each regular condition of probation in open court, but the conditions must be set forth in the judgment of the court.

Defendants placed on unsupervised probation are subject to the provisions of this subsection, except that defendants placed on unsupervised probation are not subject to the regular conditions contained in subdivisions (2), (3), (6), (8), and (11).

(b1)     Special Conditions. – In addition to the regular conditions of probation specified in subsection (b), the court may, as a condition of probation, require that during the probation the defendant comply with one or more of the following special conditions:

(1)       Undergo available medical or psychiatric treatment and remain in a specified institution if required for that purpose.

(2)       Attend or reside in a facility providing rehabilitation, counseling, treatment, social skills, or employment training, instruction, recreation, or residence for persons on probation.

(2a)     Repealed by Session Laws 2002, ch. 126, s. 17.18, effective August 15, 2002.

(2b)     Participate in and successfully complete a Drug Treatment Court Program pursuant to Article 62 of Chapter 7A of the General Statutes.

(3)       Submit to imprisonment required for special probation under G.S. 15A‑1351(a) or G.S. 15A‑1344(e).

(3a)     Repealed by Session Laws 1997‑57, s. 3.

(3b)     Submit to supervision by officers assigned to the Intensive Supervision Program established pursuant to G.S. 143B‑262(c), and abide by the rules adopted for that Program. Unless otherwise ordered by the court, intensive supervision also requires multiple contacts by a probation officer per week, a specific period each day during which the offender must be at his or her residence, and that the offender remain gainfully and suitably employed or faithfully pursue a course of study or of vocational training that will equip the offender for suitable employment.

(3c)     Remain at his or her residence unless the court or the probation officer authorizes the offender to leave for the purpose of employment, counseling, a course of study, or vocational training. The offender shall be required to wear a device which permits the supervising agency to monitor the offender's compliance with the condition electronically and to pay a fee for the device as specified in subsection (c2) of this section.

(4)       Surrender his or her driver's license to the clerk of superior court, and not operate a motor vehicle for a period specified by the court.

(5)       Compensate the Department of Environment and Natural Resources or the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, as the case may be, for the replacement costs of any marine and estuarine resources or any wildlife resources which were taken, injured, removed, harmfully altered, damaged or destroyed as a result of a criminal offense of which the defendant was convicted. If any investigation is required by officers or agents of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources or the Wildlife Resources Commission in determining the extent of the destruction of resources involved, the court may include compensation of the agency for investigative costs as a condition of probation. This subdivision does not apply in any case governed by G.S. 143‑215.3(a)(7).

(6)       Perform community or reparation service and pay any fee required by law or ordered by the court for participation in the community or reparation service program.

(7)       Submit at reasonable times to warrantless searches by a probation officer of his or her person and of his or her vehicle and premises while the probationer is present, for purposes specified by the court and reasonably related to his or her probation supervision, but the probationer may not be required to submit to any other search that would otherwise be unlawful. Whenever the warrantless search consists of testing for the presence of illegal drugs, the probationer may also be required to reimburse the Department of Correction for the actual cost of drug screening and drug testing, if the results are positive.

(8)       Not use, possess, or control any illegal drug or controlled substance unless it has been prescribed for him or her by a licensed physician and is in the original container with the prescription number affixed on it; not knowingly associate with any known or previously convicted users, possessors or sellers of any such illegal drugs or controlled substances; and not knowingly be present at or frequent any place where such illegal drugs or controlled substances are sold, kept, or used.

(8a)     Purchase the least expensive annual statewide license or combination of licenses to hunt, trap, or fish listed in G.S. 113‑270.2, 113‑270.3, 113‑270.5, 113‑271, 113‑272, and 113‑272.2 that would be required to engage lawfully in the specific activity or activities in which the defendant was engaged and which constitute the basis of the offense or offenses of which he was convicted.

(9)       If the offense is one in which there is evidence of physical, mental or sexual abuse of a minor, the court should encourage the minor and the minor's parents or custodians to participate in rehabilitative treatment and may order the defendant to pay the cost of such treatment.

(9a)     Repealed by Session Laws 2004‑186, s. 1.1, effective December 1, 2004, and applicable to offenses committed on or after that date.

(10)     Satisfy any other conditions determined by the court to be reasonably related to his rehabilitation.

(b2)     Special Conditions of Probation for Sex Offenders and Persons Convicted of Offenses Involving Physical, Mental, or Sexual Abuse of a Minor. – As special conditions of probation, a defendant who has been convicted of an offense which is a reportable conviction as defined in G.S. 14‑208.6(4), or which involves the physical, mental, or sexual abuse of a minor, must:

(1)       Register as required by G.S. 14‑208.7 if the offense is a reportable conviction as defined by G.S. 14‑208.6(4).

(2)       Participate in such evaluation and treatment as is necessary to complete a prescribed course of psychiatric, psychological, or other rehabilitative treatment as ordered by the court.

(3)       Not communicate with, be in the presence of, or found in or on the premises of the victim of the offense.

(4)       Not reside in a household with any minor child if the offense is one in which there is evidence of sexual abuse of a minor.

(5)       Not reside in a household with any minor child if the offense is one in which there is evidence of physical or mental abuse of a minor, unless the court expressly finds that it is unlikely that the defendant's harmful or abusive conduct will recur and that it would be in the minor child's best interest to allow the probationer to reside in the same household with a minor child.

(6)       Satisfy any other conditions determined by the court to be reasonably related to his rehabilitation.

Defendants subject to the provisions of this subsection shall not be placed on unsupervised probation.

(b3)     Screening and Assessing for Chemical Dependency. – A defendant ordered to submit to a period of residential treatment in the Drug Alcohol Recovery Treatment program (DART) operated by the Department of Correction must undergo a screening to determine chemical dependency. If the screening indicates the defendant is chemically dependent, the court shall order an assessment to determine the appropriate level of treatment. The assessment may be conducted either before or after the court imposes the condition, but participation in the program shall be based on the results of the assessment.

(c)       Statement of Conditions. – A defendant released on supervised probation must be given a written statement explicitly setting forth the conditions on which he is being released. If any modification of the terms of that probation is subsequently made, he must be given a written statement setting forth the modifications.

(c1)     Supervision Fee. – Any person placed on supervised probation pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall pay a supervision fee of thirty dollars ($30.00) per month, unless exempted by the court. The court may exempt a person from paying the fee only for good cause and upon motion of the person placed on supervised probation. No person shall be required to pay more than one supervision fee per month. The court may require that the fee be paid in advance or in a lump sum or sums, and a probation officer may require payment by such methods if he is authorized by subsection (g) to determine the payment schedule. Supervision fees must be paid to the clerk of court for the county in which the judgment was entered or the deferred prosecution agreement was filed. Fees collected under this subsection shall be transmitted to the State for deposit into the State's General Fund.

(c2)     Electronic Monitoring Device Fee. – Any person placed on house arrest with electronic monitoring under subsection (b1) of this section shall pay a fee of ninety dollars ($90.00) for the electronic monitoring device. The court may exempt a person from paying the fee only for good cause and upon motion of the person placed on house arrest with electronic monitoring. The court may require that the fee be paid in advance or in a lump sum or sums, and a probation officer may require payment by those methods if the officer is authorized by subsection (g) of this section to determine the payment schedule. The fee must be paid to the clerk of court for the county in which the judgment was entered or the deferred prosecution agreement was filed. Fees collected under this subsection shall be transmitted to the State for deposit into the State's General Fund.

(d)       Restitution as a Condition of Probation. – As a condition of probation, a defendant may be required to make restitution or reparation to an aggrieved party or parties who shall be named by the court for the damage or loss caused by the defendant arising out of the offense or offenses committed by the defendant. When restitution or reparation is a condition imposed, the court shall take into consideration the factors set out in G.S. 15A‑1340.35 and G.S. 15A‑1340.36. As used herein, "reparation" shall include but not be limited to the performing of community services, volunteer work, or doing such other acts or things as shall aid the defendant in his rehabilitation. As used herein "aggrieved party" includes individuals, firms, corporations, associations, other organizations, and government agencies, whether federal, State or local, including the Crime Victims Compensation Fund established by G.S. 15B‑23. A government agency may benefit by way of reparation even though the agency was not a party to the crime provided that when reparation is ordered, community service work shall be rendered only after approval has been granted by the owner or person in charge of the property or premises where the work will be done.

(e)       Costs of Court and Appointed Counsel. – Unless the court finds there are extenuating circumstances, any person placed upon supervised or unsupervised probation under the terms set forth by the court shall, as a condition of probation, be required to pay all court costs and all fees and costs for appointed counsel, public defender, or counsel employed by or under contract with the Office of Indigent Defense Services in the case in which the person was convicted. The fees and costs for appointed counsel, public defender, or other counsel services shall be determined in accordance with rules adopted by the Office of Indigent Defense Services. The court shall determine the amount of those costs and fees to be repaid and the method of payment.

(f)        Repealed by Session Laws 1983, c. 561, s. 5.

(g)       Probation Officer May Determine Payment Schedules. – If a person placed on supervised probation is required as a condition of that probation to pay any moneys to the clerk of superior court, the court may delegate to a probation officer the responsibility to determine the payment schedule. The court may also authorize the probation officer to transfer the person to unsupervised probation after all the moneys are paid to the clerk. If the probation officer transfers a person to unsupervised probation, he must notify the clerk of that action. (1977, c. 711, s. 1; 1977, 2nd Sess., c. 1147, ss. 8‑10; 1979, c. 662, s. 1; c. 801, s. 3; c. 830, s. 12; 1981, c. 530, ss. 1, 2; 1983, c. 135, s. 1; c. 561, ss. 1‑6; c. 567, s. 2; c. 712, s. 1; 1983 (Reg. Sess., 1984), c. 972, ss. 1, 2; 1985, c. 474, ss. 1, 7, 8; 1985 (Reg. Sess., 1986), c. 859, ss. 1, 2; 1987, c. 282, s. 33; c. 397, s. 1; c. 579, ss. 1, 2; c. 598, s. 1; c. 819, s. 32; c. 830, s. 17; 1989, c. 529, s. 5; c. 727, s. 218(4); 1989 (Reg. Sess., 1990), c. 1010, s. 1; c. 1034, s. 1; 1991 (Reg. Sess., 1992), c. 1000, s. 1; 1993, c. 538, s. 16; 1994, Ex. Sess., c. 9, s. 1; c. 24, s. 14(b); 1996, 2nd Ex. Sess., c. 18, s. 20.14(c); 1997‑57, s. 3; 1997‑443, ss. 11A.119(a), 19.11(a); 1998‑212, ss. 17.21(a), 19.4(f); 1999‑298, s. 2; 2000‑125, s. 8; 2000‑144, s. 31; 2002‑105, s. 3; 2002‑126, ss. 17.18(a), 29A.2(a); 2003‑141, s. 1; 2004‑186, s. 1.1; 2005‑250, s. 4; 2005‑276, ss. 17.29, 43.1(f), 43.2(a).)