Learn About The Law
Get help with your legal needs
FindLaw’s Learn About the Law features thousands of informational articles to help you understand your options. And if you’re ready to hire an attorney, find one in your area who can help.
Current as of January 01, 2025 | Updated by Findlaw Staff
The commission shall adopt guidelines for fines or other lawful economic sanctions, within the limits established by law, which shall be considered by the sentencing court in determining the appropriate sentence for defendants who plead guilty or nolo contendere to or who are found guilty of felonies and misdemeanors. The guidelines shall do all of the following:
(1) Specify the range of fines or other lawful economic sanctions, applicable to crimes of a given degree of gravity.
(2) Specify a range of fines or other lawful economic sanctions of increased amount for defendants previously convicted or adjudicated delinquent for one or more misdemeanor or felony offenses committed prior to the current offense. For purposes of this paragraph, the term “previously convicted or adjudicated delinquent” shall include any finding of guilt or adjudication of delinquency whether or not sentence has been imposed or disposition ordered prior to the commission of the current offense.
(3) Prescribe variations from the range of fines applicable on account of aggravating or mitigating circumstances.
(4) Prescribe community service alternatives which may be imposed in lieu of all or part of the fines where the sentencing court finds the defendant lacks the ability to pay all or part of the fine.
Cite this article: FindLaw.com - Pennsylvania Statutes Title 42 Pa.C.S.A. Judiciary and Judicial Procedure § 2154.3. Adoption of guidelines for fines - last updated January 01, 2025 | https://codes.findlaw.com/pa/title-42-pacsa-judiciary-and-judicial-procedure/pa-csa-sect-42-2154-3/
FindLaw Codes may not reflect the most recent version of the law in your jurisdiction. Please verify the status of the code you are researching with the state legislature before relying on it for your legal needs.
A free source of state and federal court opinions, state laws, and the United States Code. For more information about the legal concepts addressed by these cases and statutes, visit FindLaw’s Learn About the Law.
Get help with your legal needs
FindLaw’s Learn About the Law features thousands of informational articles to help you understand your options. And if you’re ready to hire an attorney, find one in your area who can help.
Search our directory by legal issue
Enter information in one or both fields (Required)