South Carolina Code of Laws
Chapter 25 - Judgment And Execution
Section 17-25-323. Continuing jurisdiction over court-ordered payments; default; hearing to show cause; enforcement; entry in records; satisfaction of judgment.

(A) The trial court retains jurisdiction of the case for the purpose of modifying the manner in which court-ordered payments are made until paid in full, or until the defendant's active sentence and probation or parole expires.
(B) When a defendant is placed on probation by the court or parole by the Board of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services, and ordered to make restitution, and the defendant is in default in the payment of them or any installment or any criminal fines, surcharges, assessments, costs, and fees ordered, the court, before the defendant completes his period of probation or parole, on motion of the victim or the victim's legal representative, the Attorney General, the solicitor, or a probation and parole agent, or upon its own motion, must hold a hearing to require the defendant to show cause why his default should not be treated as a civil judgment and a judgment lien attached. The court must enter:
(1) judgment in favor of the State for the unpaid balance, if any, of any fines, costs, fees, surcharges, or assessments imposed; and
(2) judgment in favor of each person entitled to restitution for the unpaid balance if any restitution is ordered plus reasonable attorney's fees and cost ordered by the court.
(C) When a defendant is ordered to make restitution by a magistrate or municipal court, and the defendant is in default in the payment of restitution or of any installment or any criminal fines, surcharges, assessments, costs, and fees ordered, the magistrate or municipal court, within one year of the imposition of the sentence, on motion of the victim or the victim's legal representative, the Attorney General, the solicitor, or the prosecuting law enforcement agency, or upon its own motion, must hold a hearing to require the defendant to show cause why his default should not be treated as a civil judgment and a judgment lien attached. The magistrate or municipal court must enter:
(1) judgment in favor of the State for the unpaid balance, if any, of any fines, costs, fees, surcharges, or assessments imposed; and
(2) judgment in favor of each person entitled to restitution for the unpaid balance if any restitution is ordered plus reasonable attorney's fees and cost ordered by the court.
Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 14-25-65, municipal courts shall have the authority and jurisdiction to convert unpaid restitution, fines, costs, fees, surcharges, and assessments to civil judgments.
The magistrate or municipal court, upon a conversion to a judgment, must transmit the judgment to the clerk of the circuit court in the county for entry pursuant to subsection (F). Judgments entered and docketed pursuant to this subsection must be handled in the same manner and have the same force and effect as judgments entered and docketed pursuant to Sections 22-3-300, 22-3-310, and 22-3-320.
(D) The judgments may be enforced as a civil judgment.
(E) A judgment issued pursuant to this section has the force and effect of a final judgment and may be enforced by the judgment creditor in the same manner as any other civil judgment with enforcement to take place in the court of common pleas.
(F) The clerk of the circuit court must enter a judgment issued pursuant to this section in the civil judgment records of the court. A judgment issued pursuant to this section is not effective until entry is made in the civil judgment records of the court as required pursuant to this subsection.
(G) A filing or other fee may not be required for seeking or for the filing of a civil judgment obtained or issued pursuant to this section.
(H) Upon full satisfaction of a judgment entered pursuant to this section, the judgment creditor must record the satisfaction on the margin of the copy of the judgment on file in the civil judgment records of the court.
(I) Any funds resulting from the collection of a judgment for unpaid fines, costs, fees, surcharges, or assessments must be distributed in the same manner and proportion as fines, costs, fees, surcharges, or assessments are distributed as otherwise set forth by law.
HISTORY: 1993 Act No. 140, Section 2; 1996 Act No. 437, Section 3; 2013 Act No. 82, Section 4, eff June 13, 2013.
Effect of Amendment
The 2013 amendment rewrote the section.