Judges who know that a defendant has had a prior conviction can impose a higher fine regardless of how the offense was charged by the officer or prosecutor.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. True only for Class A offenses
• D. True only for offenses charged as felonies

Answer: (B)

Fines are fixed by the statute that defines the offense, and a judge can’t automatically raise the amount simply because the defendant has prior convictions. Any higher penalty must be authorized by a specific enhancement statute that applies to the offense, or by a habitual-offender provision, and only if the law’s requirements are met. The way the offense was charged by the officer or prosecutor does not by itself grant authority to impose a larger fine; penalties are tied to the statute for the offense as charged. So, knowledge of prior convictions can lead to enhanced penalties only when the statute provides a mechanism for doing so, not as a blanket entitlement to a higher fine in every case.