Opinion ID: 888583
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The $85 as a Fine

Text: ¶ 25 The community service program is a program which operates under the Montana Community Service Act. See Title 90, Chapter 14, Part 1, MCA. The Act was adopted in 1993 and amended in 1999 and 2007. Its purpose is to encourage volunteer service to the state in a variety of projects and programs. See § 90-14-103, MCA. The programs under the Act are not operated by the Department of Corrections. ¶ 26 Section 46-18-231, MCA, provides authority for a sentencing court to impose a fine in a felony or misdemeanor case. Section 46-18-232, MCA, provides authority for the court to require a convicted defendant in a felony or misdemeanor case to pay certain costs. Section 46-18-233, MCA, provides authority for the court to make the payment of fines and costs imposed under §§ 46-18-231 and -232, MCA, a condition of probation. ¶ 27 Of significance here, § 46-18-235, MCA, states as follows: Except as provided in 61-8-726, the money collected by a court as a result of the imposition of fines or assessment of costs under the provisions of XX-XX-XXX and XX-XX-XXX must be paid: (1) by the clerk of district court to: (a) the department of revenue for deposit into the state general fund; or (b) if the fine was imposed for a violation of Title 45, chapter 9 or 10, and at the court's discretion, the drug forfeiture account maintained under XX-XX-XXX for the law enforcement agency that made the arrest from which the conviction and fine arose; and (2) by a justice's court pursuant to 3-10-601. ¶ 28 In this case, there is no question that the court had authority to impose a fine by reason of Stephenson's plea of guilty to partner or family member assault, see § 45-5-206(3)(a)(ii), MCA, and tampering with witnesses and informants, see § 45-7-206(2), MCA. However, we have found no statutory authority for the court to impose a fine and then direct the disposition of the money collected from that fine to the community service program. Under § 46-18-235, MCA, any fine imposed by the court in this case was required to be disposed of in accordance with the provisions of this statute. Accordingly, the court's disposition of the $85, when considered as a fine payable to the community service program, is patently illegal.