A. Definitions. The following definitions apply to this section:

“Application” means the association of a payment to a financial obligation owed to the court.

“Category” means the type of obligation, such as restitution, time payment fee, fines and surcharges, prison construction and operations assessments, or driving under the influence (DUI) abatement assessments.

“Collections fee” means a percentage-based fee imposed on the offender for collection agency services to collect unpaid court obligations, including the “FARE Special Collections” fee.

“Court” means a limited jurisdiction court in Arizona.

“Criminal charge” means a violation of a statute or local ordinance designated as a misdemeanor or petty offense.

“Electronic payment” means a payment using a credit or debit card or other financial transaction that may be transmitted and accepted through electronic methods such as web-based interaction or interactive voice response systems.

“FARE fee” means any fee established by administrative order of the supreme court designated to cover a cost for services provided to enhance enforcement of court orders.

“Misdemeanor” means statute or local ordinance violations that are designated as a misdemeanor and include operating under the influence, criminal traffic, and non-traffic criminal offenses.

“Obligation” means the amount the offender or designated payor is ordered to pay.

“Offender” means a person or entity who is ordered to pay an obligation in any criminal or civil traffic case.

“Other fees or reimbursable costs” means any fees or reimbursable costs authorized by statute or local ordinance and imposed pursuant to court order, excluding collection fees. These include, but are not limited to: non-sufficient fund fees, probation fees, process server costs, court-appointed attorney fees, default fees, warrant fees, local court/public safety enhancement fees, substance abuse screening fees, and jail costs.

“Payor” means the individual or entity making the offender's payment(s).

“Payment” means any amount of money received by the court for an obligation.

“Payment plan” means an approved agreement, not terminated, between the offender or designated payor and the court for obligations not paid in full the day of sentencing or a court-ordered schedule of periodic payments.

B. Applicability Article VI, Section 3 of the Arizona Constitution authorizes the Supreme Court to exercise administrative supervision over all the courts of the state.

C. Purpose This section establishes procedures for applying payments to financial obligations in the limited jurisdiction courts.

E. Application of Payments to Obligations. The court shall apply payments to the categories and subcategories of obligations in the order listed below, except as provided in subsections (F) and (G). If there are two or more unpaid obligations within a category or subcategory, the court shall apply the payment between or amongst the obligations in any reasonable manner consistent with statute, rules of court, local ordinance, administrative order, or local rule. If the unpaid obligations are equal in priority within a category or subcategory, the court shall establish policies to apply the payment either proportionately, oldest case first, or smallest unpaid balance.

H. General Administration Within ninety days after the effective date of this section, a court shall comply with each component of the section for obligations imposed after the effective date of this section. If a court is unable to comply with this section within the required timeframe, the presiding judge of the court shall advise the presiding judge of the county in writing of the court's inability to comply, describing the modifications, resources, and additional time needed to fully comply.