RS 15:305 Probation in neglect of family cases
§305. Probation in neglect of family cases
A.(1) Whenever a person has pleaded guilty or been found guilty of the misdemeanor of criminal neglect of family or has been found in contempt of court for failing to pay support as ordered under the provisions of Children's Code Article 1353, the judge may suspend the execution or imposition of sentence and release the offender on unsupervised probation or probation under the supervision of the Department of Children and Family Services. The judge may suspend the sentence and place the defendant on probation although he has begun to serve the sentence imposed and may impose any specific conditions reasonably related to the offender's rehabilitation, including but not limited to the conditions of probation as set forth in Code of Criminal Procedure Article 895.
(2) The period of probation or of suspension of sentence shall be fixed by the court at not less than six months nor more than five years, subject to renewal by the court for fixed periods not exceeding five years. The period of probation or suspended sentence may be continued in this manner as long as the responsibility for support continues or as long as an arrearage is owed.
B. As a condition of probation authorized by this Section, the defendant may be required to provide for the support of any persons for whose support he is legally responsible. The court may also require the defendant to enter into a recognizance, with or without surety, in order to insure the payment of the support. The condition of the recognizance shall be such that the defendant shall make his or her personal appearance at court whenever required to do so, and shall further comply with the terms of the order or of any subsequent modification thereof.
C. In placing such an offender on probation, the court may place the offender under the supervision of the department. However, separate juvenile courts now or hereinafter established may use their own probation services.
D. The clerk of court shall give notice to the Department of Children and Family Services in every case in which an offender is placed on probation under this Section.
E.(1) If the court finds that the defendant has violated a condition of his probation, it shall order that the probation be revoked and shall sentence the defendant to imprisonment for not more than six months. The court shall also order the defendant to pay the total amount of unpaid support to the spouse, to the tutor or custodian of the child, to the court-approved fiduciary of the spouse or child, or to the Department of Children and Family Services in a FITAP case or in a non-FITAP case in which the department is rendering services, whichever is applicable; hereinafter, said payee shall be referred to as the applicable payee. Such judgment shall have the same force and effect as a final judgment for money damages against the defendant. This judgment may be made executory by any Louisiana court of competent jurisdiction on petition of the department or the district attorney.
(2)(a) At the discretion of the judge, the sentence may be suspended by the court upon payment of:
(i) The amount of the order for unpaid support;
(ii) The amount of unpaid support accrued since the date of the said order; and
(iii) The amount of all attendant court costs.
(b) Upon recommendation of the state attorney or the support enforcement officer, or both, the remainder of the sentence may be suspended upon payment of a lesser amount plus attendant court costs. Such payment shall apply toward but not extinguish the total amount due.
(c) In addition, if the defendant has entered into a recognizance in the amount fixed by the court to insure the payment of the support, the court may order the forfeiture of such recognizance and enforcement thereof by execution. The sum recovered shall be paid in whole or in part to the applicable payee. However, should the court order both the forfeiture of the recognizance and at the same time order the accused to pay all unpaid support under the sentence for violation of probation, the amount of unpaid support plus attendant court costs shall be the maximum amount payable.
Acts 1966, No. 311, §2, eff. Jan. 1, 1967. Amended by Acts 1977, No. 247, §1; Acts 1978, No. 786, §2, eff. July 17, 1978; Acts 1981, No. 812, §5, eff. Aug. 2, 1981; Acts 1981, Ex.Sess., No. 36, §6, eff. Nov. 19, 1981; Acts 1984, No. 451 §1; Acts 1989, No. 285, §1; Acts 1993, No. 429, §2; Acts 1997, No. 1155, §5; Acts 2010, No. 238, §3.