Case Name: STATE of Louisiana v. Justino ZABALETA
Court: Louisiana Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: Louisiana
Decision Date: 1997-03-07
Citations: 689 So. 2d 1369
Docket Number: No. 96-K-2449
Parties: STATE of Louisiana v. Justino ZABALETA.
Judges: KNOLL, J., not on panel; recused.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 689
Pages: 1369–1369

Head Matter:
STATE of Louisiana v. Justino ZABALETA.
No. 96-K-2449.
Supreme Court of Louisiana.
March 7, 1997.

Opinion:
In re Zabaleta, Justino; — Defendant(s); applying for writ of certiorari and/or review; Parish of Calcasieu, 14th Judicial District Court, Div. "D", No. 14098-93; to the Court of Appeal, Third Circuit, No. CR95-0655.
Granted. The portion of relator's sentence which provides for a jail term in the event of default of payment of a fine is vacated. An indigent person may not be incarcerated because he is unable to pay a fine which is part of his sentence. Bearden v. Georgia, 461 U.S. 660, 103 S.Ct. 2064, 76 L.Ed.2d 221 (1983). However, we note that La.C.Cr.P. art. 886 permits the state to enforce collection of a fine in the same manner as a money judgment in a civil case. State v. Conley, 570 So.2d 1161 (La.1990).
KNOLL, J., not on panel; recused.