(a)  The court shall assess as court costs, in addition to those otherwise provided by law, against all defendants charged with a felony, misdemeanor, or petty misdemeanor, and who plead nolo contendere or guilty or who are found guilty of the commission of those crimes, as follows:

(1)  Where the offense charged is a felony and carries a maximum penalty of five (5) or more years imprisonment, three hundred dollars ($300) or ten percent (10%) of any fine imposed on the defendant by the court, whichever is greater;

(2)  Where the offense charged is a felony and carries a maximum penalty of less than five (5) years imprisonment, one hundred eighty dollars ($180) or ten percent (10%) of any fine imposed on the defendant by the court, whichever is greater; and

(3)  Where the offense charged is a misdemeanor, sixty dollars ($60.00) or ten percent (10%) of any fine imposed on the defendant by the court, whichever is greater.

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Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 12-18.1-3

  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Nolo contendere: No contest-has the same effect as a plea of guilty, as far as the criminal sentence is concerned, but may not be considered as an admission of guilt for any other purpose.
  • Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.

(b)  These court costs shall not be assessed when the defendant is sentenced to prison for thirty (30) days or more on any count, multiple counts, or multiple charges and shall be remitted if a defendant subsequently serves thirty (30) days or more on a violation.

(c)  When there are multiple counts or multiple charges to be disposed of simultaneously, the judge shall have the authority to suspend the obligation of the defendant to pay on all counts or charges above one.

(d)  If a defendant is indigent, or demonstrates a limited or inability to pay, in accordance with the standards and procedures contained in § 12-20-10 and § 12-21-20, the court costs contemplated by this section may be waived or reduced.

History of Section.
P.L. 1987, ch. 118, art. 9, § 1; P.L. 1991, ch. 44, art. 40, § 1; P.L. 2008, ch. 297, § 2; P.L. 2008, ch. 326, § 2; P.L. 2022, ch. 200, § 1, effective June 27, 2022; P.L. 2022, ch. 201, § 1, effective June 27, 2022.