Fines, Restitution and Community Service

Overview:

If you are sentenced to probation, you might have to pay fines or restitution or perform community service. Your probation officer will oversee your completion of these requirements. If you fail to make any payment or fail to comply with community service requirements, you might be referred to the Comprehensive Enforcement Program (CEP) for court action.

Payments

How to pay

• Online Payment
• Cash
• Check
• Money order

Checks and money orders should be made payable to "Treasurer, State of New Jersey."

Include your full name and client identification number to ensure proper credit is made to your account.

Personal checks returned unpaid will result in the removal of the option to pay by personal check.

Fees

For adult cases, a transaction fee will be deducted from your total payment amount every time you make a payment.

• For payments between $3 and $9.99, the transaction fee is $1.
• For any payments $10.00 or more, the transaction fee is $2.

There is no transaction fee for juvenile cases.

Where to pay

You can pay court-ordered fines and fees through the Probation Client Portal. Payments can be made at all main probation offices and the county courthouse you were sentenced at Probation Payment Windows Locations

*Satellite probation offices cannot accept cash.
 

Probation Payment Windows Locations

Where do payments go?

Payments are distributed according to state law:

• The Victims of Crime Compensation Office (VCCO) provides funds to cover claims made by crime victims.
• Restitution is a repayment of funds to the victims of your offense.
• The Law Enforcement Officers Training and Equipment Fund (LEOTEF) supports the work of law enforcement.
• The Safe Neighborhood Services Fund (SNSF) provides funds for community law enforcement programs.
• The Forensic Lab Fee provides funds for county and state crime laboratories.
• The Drug Enforcement and Demand Reduction Penalty (DEDR) supports local rehabilitation programs and educational services.
• Fines are paid to the state, county or municipality.
• The Domestic Violence Victim Fund (DVVF) provides funds to the Department of Human Services, Division of Youth and Family Services to fund programming for domestic violence victims and to educate the public about this issue.
• The Sex Offender Monthly Penalty provides funds to the Department of Treasury to fund sex offender monitoring
• The Probation Supervision fee provides funds to the New Jersey State Treasurer for use by the state.
• The transaction fee provides funds for the court computerization.

When should I contact probation?

You should contact probation with any change of circumstances that might affect your ability to pay or perform community service. You also must contact probation with any changes to your address.

Helpful Employment Resources:

NJ Re-entry Program
Career One Stop
NJ Career Connections

Restitution

Overview:

A victim or the family of a victim of a crime committed in New Jersey can be repaid for losses and expenses that resulted from the crime. This repayment is called restitution. All convicted persons might have to pay restitution to the victim or the victim's family.

Read more about restitution

Restitution payments

Restitution checks are paid at least once a month as long as the client is making timely payments to Probation Services.

How to tell if your check is for restitution

If you have received a check from the State of New Jersey Judiciary and are unsure of its purpose, the client’s name and reference number (i.e. Client ID), and the Court's phone number will be printed on the top of the payment statement for any questions you may have.

If restitution checks stop coming

Restitution checks are sent based on the payments received from the person placed on probation. As long as enough funds are received, restitution checks will be generated.

The court must have your current address in order to send your payment. Contact your local probation office if your address changes.

Community Service

A community service sentence requires a client to perform work without compensation at a private non-profit organization or government agency for a period of time that is decided by the court. Probation will make sure all clients are referred to a suitable community service worksite and will monitor the client’s progress until completion of the court-ordered hours.

If community service is the only condition of your sentence, the case is assigned to a community service probation officer. If community service is ordered as only a part of your probation, your supervising probation officer will monitor your community service progress. Failure to comply might result in a summons to appear at a Comprehensive Enforcement Program (CEP) hearing or your case being returned to the county court you were sentenced at.

Whom can I talk to about my community service?

Contact the probation officer assigned to your case.

What if I am unable to complete my community service?

You must provide documented evidence of any reason that prohibits you from completing your court-ordered community service for consideration. In this case, you must contact local probation office.

When should I contact probation?

You should contact probation with any change of circumstances that might affect your ability to pay or perform community service. You also must contact probation with any changes to your address.

Comprehensive Enforcement Program (CEP)

Overview:

The Comprehensive Enforcement Program (CEP) gives people who fail to meet their court-ordered payments or community service requirements a chance to set up a reasonable plan to meet these conditions.

Whom can I talk to about my case?

If you are on probation, you can talk to your probation officer. If you are not on probation, but still owe money, you can speak to the contact on your payment notices or contact your local probation office.

If I owe money on more than one case, which one gets paid first?

When there is more than one case, all fines, fees and restitution with the oldest case are paid completely before any money is applied on the next oldest case.

CEP Summons

If you receive a CEP summons, you have fallen behind in meeting your existing court-ordered obligations. Those obligations could include the payment of fines or fees or the performance of community service. At the hearing you will be able to explain any change of circumstances that might affect your ability to pay or to perform community service. The hearing will be conducted by a hearing officer.

What should I bring to a CEP Hearing?

Bring any documentation that will help the hearing officer review why you are behind with court-ordered obligations.

What to expect at your CEP hearing

What happens if I do not show up for a CEP hearing?

A bench warrant might be issued for your arrest. Also, a default order might be issued for further sanctions, such as

• suspension of your driver’s license;
• a civil judgment filed against you;
• a lien against your personal assets;
• income withholding, wage withholding, or wage garnishment; or
• a tax offset that sends your state tax return directly to the court.

Do I need an attorney to represent me in my collection or community service case?

You can choose to be represented by an attorney, but it is not required. If you wish to have an attorney, you can consult an attorney of your own choosing. If you need help finding an attorney, try asking your local county bar association for a legal referral service phone number or check the NJ State Bar Association website for information on lawyer referral services.

What if I receive a summons for CEP, but I am not behind on my payments?

If you get a summons and believe you are up to date with your payments, contact the probation officer listed on your court notice immediately. If your appearance is not excused by Probation Services before your scheduled hearing, you must appear in court.

Glossary of Common CEP Terms