Each United States Attorney’s office must establish written guidelines for approving the suspense of collections. Reasons for suspension include the deportation of the debtor, payment not immediately due under the judgment terms, stay of enforcement is granted by the court, the debt is determined to be uncollectible or only nominal payments can be collected, or the debtor is unlocatable.

Suspending a criminal debt has no effect upon the judgment’s validity. Whenever the Financial Litigation/Asset Recovery Unit learns that a defendant has the ability to make full or substantial payment on the debt and the defendant can be located, the criminal debt must be promptly reviewed for appropriate enforcement action.

See USAP 3-12-400-001 (Financial Litigation Priority Code System, Suspension of Collections, and Enforcement Codes).

[added May 2018]