People v. Ranger Insurance

Defendant Ranger Insurance Company (Ranger) appeals from an order which denied the discharge of an order of forfeiture and the exoneration of bail. Ranger contends the order was invalid because notice was not given to “the bail,” as required by Penal Code section 1305, subdivision (c)(4), prior to reinstatement of the bail bond.

Ranger contends that “the bail” refers to the surety for the bail but does not include the bail agent. We disagree on the ground that, although “the bail” refers to the surety, the “bail agent” may accept notice of reinstatement for the surety as the entity licensed to act “on behalf of any surety insurer...” (Ins. Code, § 1802.)

Since notice of reinstatement was given the bail agent and no statute required that the surety be separately served, we shall affirm the judgment.

STATEMENT OF FACTS

On April 8, 1999, Ranger, through its agent Andrea Bail Bonds, issued a bail bond for Santandra Anand Singh. On May 21, 1999, Singh failed to appear and bail was declared forfeited. Notice of forfeiture was sent to both Ranger and the bail agent, Andrea Bail Bonds, as required by statute. Defendant appeared in court on May 26, 1999, and bail was…