Virginia courts would limit collection of court debts and defer some payments

The text sets time limits for bringing cases to recover certain fines, costs, and other monetary penalties. The provisions cover fines and costs from criminal or traffic cases, and other monetary penalties and costs owed to the Commonwealth or a local government. For circuit court penalties, the period runs from the offense or delinquency. For general district court penalties, the text gives a 30-year period tied to the judgment.

The text bars collection actions after the applicable time limit expires and prevents the limit from restarting. These rules cover fines, costs, and other monetary penalties addressed by the stated limitation periods. The limits apply regardless of the collection method. The bar on collection applies when the relevant time limit expires.

The text directs a court to enter certain incarcerated defendants into deferred payment agreements. This covers fines, costs, forfeitures, or penalties owed by a defendant sentenced to an active term of incarceration. The debt must relate to the charge for which the defendant is incarcerated or another charge for which the defendant was sentenced the same day. The payment due date must be no earlier than the person's scheduled release from incarceration on the charges sentenced that day. The time limit for paying these debts starts on the agreement's due date.