Court Opinion

ID: 9746131
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-27 14:01:11.383767+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:25:09.500187
License: Public Domain

McINTYRE, J.,
Dissenting. — I respectfully dissent.
I agree with the majority that it would be preferable if the trial courts always stated in open court that “bail is forfeited” when declaring a bail forfeiture. However, the statute, Penal Code section 1305, subdivision (a) does not specifically require those words be used but states “[a] court shall in open court declare forfeited the undertaking of bail . . . [when] a defendant fails to appear . . . .” Here in open court, the judge stated “we’ll keep the bail bond and issue a warrant” in the amount of $200,000. In my view, in the context of issuing a $200,000 bench warrant, the phrase “we’ll keep the bail bond” is not reasonably susceptible to any interpretation other than declaring a forfeiture of the $75,000 bail bond and the statutory requirement is thus met.
*1536Appellant claims no prejudice for the manner in which the trial judge spoke. The minutes reflect that bail was forfeited and a notice of forfeiture was timely mailed.
Accordingly, I would affirm the judgment below.