Clerks may require a defendant to pay a fine by performing community service. This statement is:

• A. True
• B. False
• C. The clerk may require community service only with judge approval
• D. Clerks may propose community service as substitute for a fine

Answer: (B)

The essential idea is that sentencing authority rests with the judge, not the clerk. Clerks handle administrative tasks like processing fees and scheduling, but they do not impose sentences. A defendant can be required to perform community service only if the court (usually the judge) orders it as part of the sentence or as an approved alternative disposition. The clerk may present options or collect payments, but they cannot independently substitute a fine with community service. Therefore, the statement is false.