Under what condition may a capias pro fine be issued?

• A. It may be issued if the defendant is not in custody when judgment is rendered or fails to satisfy the judgment
• B. It may be issued only if the defendant is in custody
• C. It may be issued only for restitution
• D. It may be issued before judgment

Answer: (A)

Capias pro fine is a warrant used to enforce payment of a fine after judgment. It may be issued when the defendant is not in custody at the time judgment is rendered or when the defendant fails to satisfy the judgment. This allows the court to compel payment or appearance even if the defendant wasn’t jailed when the judgment was entered. It isn’t limited to situations where the person is already in custody, nor is it restricted to restitution, and it isn’t issued before judgment.