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Fines and Penalties (Recovery) Act 2001
68Examination of fine defaulter
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68 Examination of fine defaulter
(1) The Fines Recovery Unit may, by notice in writing, request a fine
defaulter to supply the relevant information for the purpose of
determining appropriate enforcement action that may be taken
under this Division.
(2) If the fine defaulter does not comply with the request or if the
Director is not satisfied with the response, an examination
summons may be issued to the fine defaulter.
(3) An examination summons cannot be issued to a person if, within
the previous 3 months, the person has attended an examination in
accordance with a summons under this section.
(4) An examination summons may be directed to:
(a) if the fine defaulter is an individual – the fine defaulter; or
Fines and Penalties (Recovery) Act 2001 42
(b) if the fine defaulter is a corporation – an officer or former
officer of the corporation.
(5) Subject to subsection (6), an examination summons is to be served
personally on the person to whom it is directed.
(6) If the Director is satisfied that it is impracticable to serve an
examination summons personally, the Director may make an order
for substituted service in accordance with section 69.
(7) An examination summons is to summon the person to whom it is
directed to attend:
(a) at the place specified in the summons; and
(b) on a day and at a time specified in the summons and
thereafter as further required;
to be orally examined by the Director or another specified officer as
to the fine defaulter's property and other means of satisfying the
fine and generally as to the fine defaulter's financial circumstances.
(8) An examination summons:
(a) may require the person to produce to the Director or officer
any document or other thing in the person's possession or
control that tends to show the fine defaulter's true financial
circumstances; and
(b) is to notify the person to whom it is directed that a warrant will
issue if the person does not attend for examination in
accordance with the summons.
(9) A person is not bound to produce any document or other thing that
is not specified or sufficiently described in the examination
summons or that the person would not be bound to produce on a
subpoena for production in the Supreme Court.
(10) If a person fails to attend in accordance with a summons under this
section, the Fines Recovery Unit may issue a warrant for the
apprehension of the person and for the person to be brought before
the Director or other specified officer of the Unit for examination in
accordance with this section.
(11) A warrant of apprehension:
(a) is not to be issued unless the Fines Recovery Unit is satisfied
that the examination summons was duly served on the person
(whether personally or by substituted service); and
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(b) is to be directed to a bailiff and provided to the bailiff for
execution; and
(c) may be executed with the assistance of a member of the
Police Force.
(12) If a person who is served with an examination summons engages in
conduct that would, if the Fines Recovery Unit were the Local
Court, constitute contempt of the Court under section 45 of the
Local Court Act 2015:
(a) the Director may refer the matter to the Local Court; and
(b) the Local Court, constituted by a Local Court Judge, may deal
with the matter under Part 4, Division 4 of the Local Court
Act 2015 as if it were an alleged contempt referred to it under
section 46(4)(b) of that Act.
(13) If an examination under this section is adjourned, the Fines
Recovery Unit must notify the person to be examined of the time
and place for the continuance of the adjourned examination.