People v. Financial Casualty & Surety CA6

Background On May 21, 2012, appellant’s agent, The Bail Hotline Bail Bonds (Bail Hotline) posted a $20,000 bond for the release of defendant Larry Weathers, pending his May 30 appearance on misdemeanor charges. On June 22, 2012, Weathers failed to appear for arraignment. The court declared the bond forfeited and notice of forfeiture was sent to both appellant and Bail Hotline. On December 26, 2012, Bail Hotline moved to extend the forfeiture period by 180 days pursuant to section 1305.4. In their opposition to the extension motion the People noted that the investigator had not begun searching for Weathers until August 1, 2012, more than a month after Weathers failed to appear for his June 22 court date. The People complained that the investigator’s search had been “perfunctory and limited”; he had waited until October to obtain a booking photograph, failed to “stake out” any locations, and conducted only one in-person interview—with someone who had no connection to Weathers. The People further argued that, given the large population of Las Vegas and no current address for the defendant, the investigator had “virtually no chance” of locating Weathers there. Thus, in the People’s…