Opinion ID: 168917
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: In August of 1997, Jason Troff pleaded guilty to arson for setting fire to a M cDonald’s in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Utah Third District Court stayed a prison sentence of fifteen years, placed M r. Troff on 36 months’ probation, and ordered him to pay $239,696 of restitution at a rate of $100 per month as a condition of his probation. Throughout his probation, M r. Troff made the monthly payments to the state, and the state forwarded the funds to the victim. In October of 2000, probation violations prompted the court to extend his probation an additional 36 months. As with his initial sentence, payment of restitution remained an express condition of M r. Troff’s probation. Upon completion of probation, M r. Troff’s restitution obligation was converted to a civil judgment. He continued making restitution payments until M arch of 2003. In M ay of that year, M r. Troff filed for bankruptcy under Chapter 7, and the bankruptcy court discharged his restitution obligation. At the time he 2 filed for bankruptcy, M r. Troff had paid only about $8,000 of his $239,696 debt. Utah appealed the bankruptcy court’s decision, and the district court held that the restitution obligation was not dischargeable.