Opinion ID: 2581024
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Heading Rank: 1

Heading: background regarding bail bond statutes

Text: While bail bond proceedings occur in connection with criminal prosecutions, they are independent from and collateral to the prosecutions and are civil in nature. ( People v. Wilcox (1960) 53 Cal.2d 651, 654, 2 Cal.Rptr. 754, 349 P.2d 522.) The object of bail and its forfeiture is to insure the attendance of the accused and his obedience to the orders and judgment of the court. ( Id. at pp. 656-657, 2 Cal. Rptr. 754, 349 P.2d 522; see Stack v. Boyle (1951) 342 U.S. 1, 5, 72 S.Ct. 1, 96 L.Ed. 3 [Like the ancient practice of securing the oaths of responsible persons to stand as sureties for the accused, the modern practice of requiring a bail bond or the deposit of a sum of money subject to forfeiture serves as additional assurance of the presence of an accused].) In matters of this kind there should be no element of revenue to the state nor punishment of the surety. ( Wilcox, at p. 657, 2 Cal.Rptr. 754, 349 P.2d 522.) Nevertheless, the bail bond is a contract between the surety and the government whereby the surety acts as a guarantor of the defendant's appearance in court under the risk of forfeiture of the bond. ( People v. Ranger Ins. Co. (1994) 31 Cal.App.4th 13, 22, 36 Cal. Rptr.2d 807.) Thus, when there is a breach of this contract, the bond should be enforced. (See People v. North Beach Bonding Co. (1974) 36 Cal.App.3d 663, 675, 111 Cal.Rptr. 757.) When a person for whom a bail bond has been posted fails without sufficient excuse to appear as required, the trial court must declare a forfeiture of the bond. (§ 1305, subd. (a).) [2] The 185 days after the date the clerk of the court mails a notice of forfeiture (180 days plus five days for mailing) to the appropriate parties is known as the appearance period. (§ 1305, subd. (b).) During this time, the surety on the bond is entitled to move to have the forfeiture vacated and the bond exonerated on certain grounds, such as an appearance in court by the accused. (§ 1305, subd. (c)(1).) The trial court may also toll the appearance period under certain circumstances, or extend the period by no more than 180 days from the date the trial court orders the extension, provided that the surety files its motion before the original 185-day appearance period expires and demonstrates good cause for the extension. (§§ 1305, subds.(e), (i), 1305.4.) After the appearance period expires, the trial court has 90 days to enter summary judgment on the bond. [3] (§ 1306, subds.(a), (c).) [4] If summary judgment is not entered within the statutory 90-day period, the bond is exonerated. (§ 1306, subd. (c).)