Source: http://hi.findacase.com/research/wfrmDocViewer.aspx/xq/fac.20160929_0001474.HI.htm/qx
Timestamp: 2017-08-19 16:53:17
Document Index: 67147371

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 804', '§ 804', '§ 804', '§ 804', '§ 804', '§ 804', '§ 804', '§ 804']

STATE OF HAWAI I, Plaintiff-Appellee,
SEMISI NELSON, Defendant-Appellee, and INTERNATIONAL FIDELITY INSURANCE COMPANY, Real Party in Interest/Appellant. STATE OF HAWAI'I, Plaintiff-Appellee,
KAREN TERUYA, Defendant-Appellee, and INTERNATIONAL FIDELITY INSURANCE COMPANY, Real Party in Interest/Appellant. STATE OF HAWAI'I, Plaintiff-Appellee,
CONRADO CABIGON, JR., Defendant-Appellee, and INTERNATIONAL FIDELITY INSURANCE COMPANY, Real Party in Interest/Appellant. STATE OF HAWAI'I, Plaintiff-Appellee,
STEVEN D. FERRARIS, Defendant-Appellee, and INTERNATIONAL FIDELITY INSURANCE COMPANY, Real Party in Interest/Appellant. STATE OF HAWAI'I, Plaintiff-Appellee,
DAVID K. BERRY, Defendant-Appellee, and INTERNATIONAL FIDELITY INSURANCE COMPANY, Real Party in Interest/Appellant. STATE OF HAWAI'I, Plaintiff-Appellee,
JUSTIN NAKAMURA, Defendant-Appellee, and INTERNATIONAL FIDELITY INSURANCE COMPANY, Real Party in Interest/Appellant. STATE OF HAWAI'I, Plaintiff-Appellee,
CEDRO MUNA, Defendant-Appellee, and INTERNATIONAL FIDELITY INSURANCE COMPANY, Real Party in Interest/Appellant. STATE OF HAWAI'I, Plaintiff-Appellee,
APPEAL FROM THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE FIRST CIRCUIT CR. Nos. 05-1-2446, 02-1-1718, 08-1-1192, 11-1-0306, 10-1-1289, 09-1-1364, 09-1-0616, 10-1-0621)
Matson Kelley and Michael C. Carroll, Sarah M. Love, (Bays Lung Rose & Holma of counsel) for Real Party in Interest-Appellant.
In the eight criminal cases that are part of this appeal, a bail bond was executed by a bail agent, the defendant failed to appear in court as required under the bond, and a bail forfeiture judgment was issued pursuant to Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS) § 804-51 (2014). The primary question in the appeal is whether the notice to the "surety" about the bail forfeiture judgment, which is required under HRS § 804-51, was satisfied by notice to the bail agent who signed the bail bond, or whether the insurance company that conferred power-of-attorney on the bail agent to execute the bail bond was the "surety" who should have received the notice.
(1) concluding that HRS § 804-51 did not require Plaintiff-Appellee State of Hawai'i (State) to give International Fidelity direct notice of the bail forfeiture judgments;
(2) concluding that International Fidelity received the notice required under HRS § 804-51;
The eight separate criminal cases were consolidated for purposes of this appeal. In each case, International Fidelity conferred power-of-attorney on either Peppers, Del Rio, or Fisher, to execute bail bonds. In each case, the circuit court declared the bail forfeited and entered a bail forfeiture judgment. Notice of each bail forfeiture judgment was given to the respective bail agent, either Peppers, Del Rio, or Fisher, through their bail bond company. In six of the cases, the bail bond company filed a motion to set aside the forfeiture judgment and all of these motions were denied. In all eight cases, even when the bail bond company had already filed a motion that had been denied, International Fidelity filed a motion to set aside the bail forfeiture judgment. International Fidelity's motions were filed long after the bail agent in each case had received notice of the forfeiture judgment. International Fidelity's motions were also filed more than thirty days after it had received a letter in each case from the State of Hawai'i Judiciary regarding the respective bail forfeiture judgment.
After the consolidated hearing on International Fidelity's motions, the circuit court entered detailed findings of fact (FOF) for each case. None of the circuit court's findings are challenged on appeal, and thus we are bound by the findings. Bremer v. Weeks, 104 Hawai'i 43, 63, 85 P.3d 150, 170 (2004)("[F]indings of fact that are not challenged on appeal are binding on the appellate court.")(citations and ellipses omitted).
(emphasis added). Included thereafter was the sum of money the surety or sureties would pay to the State of Hawaii if the defendant "failed to perform either of these conditions." The bonds were signed by either Ida Peppers ("Peppers") or Linda Del Rio ("Del Rio") of Freedom Bail Bonds ("FBB") or Charles Fisher ("Fisher") of AAA Local Bail Bonds ("AAA") .
3. As noted below, it was Peppers of FBB in Cr. Nos. 02-1-1718, 05-1-2446, 08-1-1192, 09-1-0616, 09-1-1364, and 11-1-0306, Del Rio of FBB in Cr. No. 10-1-1289, and Fisher of AAA in Cr. No. 10-1-0621, who executed the bail bonds as "the undersigned surety or sureties" and the authorized attorney-in-fact for [International Fidelity].
i. On September 8, 2009, the Judiciary sent a letter to [International Fidelity], by certified mail, return receipt requested, notifying [International Fidelity] that judgment had been entered pursuant to HRS § 804-51 on January 23, 2009, and demanding payment. The return receipt was signed by the recipient at [International Fidelity], but not dated.
b. On August 17, 2010, notice of the entry of the Judgment and Order of Forfeiture of Bail Bond was sent pursuant to HRS § 804-51 by certified mail, return receipt requested, to Peppers of FBB as surety on the Cabiqon Bond.
7. In Cr. No. 09-1-0616, a bail bond in the amount of $20, 000 was posted on behalf of Defendant Cedric Muno [sic] [4] on March 27, 2009 ("Muno [sic] Bond"). The Muno [sic] bond was executed by Peppers as the "undersigned surety, or sureties" on behalf of FBB and as authorized by the [International Fidelity] power of attorney.
b. On February 1, 2010, notice of the entry of the Judgment and Order of Forfeiture of Bail Bond was sent pursuant to HRS § 804-51 by certified mail, return receipt requested, to Peppers of FBB as surety on the Muno [sic] Bond[.]
e. On August 31, 2010, the Judiciary sent a letter to [International Fidelity] by certified mail, return receipt requested, notifying [International Fidelity] that judgment had been entered pursuant to HRS § 804-51 on February 1, 2010, and demanding payment. The return receipt was signed by the recipient at [International Fidelity], but not dated.