Montana Code Annotated 2014

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     46-8-113. Payment by defendant for assigned counsel -- costs to be filed with court. (1) Subject to the provisions of subsections (2) and (3), as part of or as a condition of a sentence that is imposed under the provisions of this title, the court shall determine whether a convicted defendant should pay the costs of counsel assigned to represent the defendant as follows:
     (a) If the defendant pleads guilty prior to trial:
     (i) to one or more misdemeanor charges and no felony charges, the cost of counsel is $250; or
     (ii) to one or more felony charges, the cost of counsel is $800.
     (b) If the case goes to trial, the defendant shall pay the costs incurred by the office of state public defender for providing the defendant with counsel in the criminal trial. The office of state public defender shall file with the court a statement of the hours spent on the case and the costs and expenses incurred for the trial.
     (2) Any costs imposed pursuant to this section must be paid in accordance with 46-18-251(2)(e).
     (3) In any proceeding for the determination of whether a defendant is or will be able to pay the costs of counsel, the court shall question the defendant as to the defendant's ability to pay those costs and shall inform the defendant that purposely false or misleading statements by the defendant may result in criminal charges against the defendant.
     (4) The court may not sentence a defendant to pay the costs for assigned counsel unless the defendant is or will be able to pay the costs imposed by subsection (1). The court may find that the defendant is able to pay only a portion of the costs assessed. In determining the amount and method of payment of costs, the court shall take into account the financial resources of the defendant and the nature of the burden that payment of costs will impose.
     (5) A defendant who has been sentenced to pay costs may at any time petition the court that sentenced the defendant for remission of the payment of costs or of any unpaid portion of the costs. If it appears to the satisfaction of the court that payment of the amount due will impose manifest hardship on the defendant or the defendant's immediate family, the court may remit all or part of the amount due in costs or modify the method of payment.
     (6) Any costs imposed under this section must be included in the court's judgment.

     History: En. Sec. 4, Ch. 415, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 67, Ch. 800, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 7, Ch. 262, L. 1993; amd. Sec. 42, Ch. 449, L. 2005; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 467, L. 2009; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 344, L. 2011.

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