Opinion ID: 1348581
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Forfeiture of Bail.

Text: All defendants are bailable by sufficient surety, or subject to release upon condition or on their own recognizance, except for those defendants specifically ineligible under our pretrial release-bail statutory provisions. Iowa Code § 811.1. If a defendant fails to appear as lawfully required, the defendant's bail may be forfeited and judgment entered for the amount of the bail. Iowa Code § 811.6. We interpret the forfeiture of bail provision in light of several well-established principles as set forth in State v. Zylstra, 263 N.W.2d 529 (Iowa 1978). In Zylstra, we stated: A court admits a defendant to bail in order to assure his appearance in court. In assuming the position of bail the surety becomes obligated to produce the accused in open court when his presence is required. Stated otherwise, when the State releases a defendant from confinement it commits him to the exclusive custody of his surety, who becomes the jailer of his own choosing. If the surety fails to produce its principal at the appointed time, a judgment shall be entered by the court. These proceedings for forfeiture of bail and judgment therein are civil actions, which may only be enforced in strict compliance with the statute. Zylstra, 263 N.W.2d at 531 (citations omitted). It is with this background we review the court's forfeiture and judgment. Under Iowa Code section 811.6(1): If the defendant fails to appear at the time and place when the defendant's personal appearance is lawfully required ... the court must direct an entry of the failure to be made of record and the undertaking of the defendant's bail, or the money deposited, is thereupon forfeited. As a part of the entry ... the court shall direct the sheriff of the county to give ten days' notice in writing to the defendant and the defendant's sureties to appear and show cause, if any, why judgment should not be entered for the amount of bail. The statutory language is clear; if the defendant does not appear the court must direct an entry of record be made and the defendant's bail forfeited. Here, there is no question the defendant did not appear. Therefore, according to the express terms of the statute, the defendant's bail was forfeited. The court's decision to enter judgment for the amount of the bail on the forfeiture is discretionary with the court. State v. Shell, 242 Iowa 260, 264, 45 N.W.2d 851, 854 (1951). The obligation of sureties on a bail bond is that they will produce the accused in open court when his presence is required in accordance with the terms of the bond. Id. at 265, 45 N.W.2d at 854. The fact that the defendant has surrendered himself to the sheriff and is confined in the county jail prior to the entry of the judgment on the bond does not deprive the court of its discretion to enter judgment for the amount of bail against the surety. Id. at 266, 45 N.W.2d at 854. Forfeiture and judgment for the amount of bail may be avoided only when the bondsmen show some reasonable excuse for failing to produce the defendant. Id. When a satisfactory explanation for the defendant's failure to appear has been established, the court may refuse to enter judgment and may set aside the forfeiture. State v. Thomason, 226 Iowa 1057, 285 N.W. 636 (1939). Under our statutory scheme, at any time before the forfeiture is undertaken a surety may surrender the defendant for detention to the officer to whose custody the defendant was committed at the time of giving bail. Iowa Code § 811.8(1). Upon proof of surrender of the defendant, the court shall order an exoneration of the surety. Iowa Code § 811.8(2). For the purpose of surrendering the defendant, the surety may arrest the defendant at any place within the state. Iowa Code § 811.8(3). Here, Costello repeatedly ignored court orders to appear and as a result, law enforcement officials were required to apprehend him. The court had previously exercised its discretion not to enter judgment for the amount of the bail. The surety offered no evidence at the hearing as to why Costello did not appear for the pretrial conference as ordered by the court. The court did not abuse its discretion in proceeding with forfeiture and entry of judgment for the amount of bail against American Surety.