Pennsylvania § 5747.1 - Forfeited undertaking.

§ 5747.1. Forfeited undertaking.

(a) General rule.--If a defendant in a criminal prosecution fails to appear for any scheduled court proceeding, the defendant's bail may be revoked and notice of revocation shall serve as notice of intent to forfeit the bail of the defendant. The notice or order of revocation shall be served by the office of the clerk to the defendant, surety or bail bondsman and insurer who has issued the qualifying power of attorney for the bail bondsman by certified mail, return receipt requested.

(b) Payment.--The following shall apply:

(1) Ninety days from the date of the service of the notice of revocation or order of revocation, the revocation shall become a judgment of forfeiture, payment of which shall be immediately required by the defendant or surety. Failure of a bail bondsman to make a timely payment of a forfeiture judgment shall result in the district attorney or county solicitor commencing proceedings to suspend or nonrenew the license of the bail bondsman otherwise consistent with section 5746 (relating to suspension or revocation of authority to conduct business in a county).

(2) Payment of forfeited undertaking shall be made directly to the office of the clerk not later than the close of business on the 91st day following the service of the notice of revocation. If the defendant has been recovered and placed into custody through the efforts of the bail bondsman or proof has been provided to the court that the defendant was discovered by the bail bondsman to be in custody in another jurisdiction prior to the 91st day, no payment of the forfeited undertaking shall be required. If the defendant is placed into custody or discovered to be in custody, the court shall set aside the bail revocation and may release the defendant with the reinstitution of bail pursuant to the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure. The bail bondsman shall not be continued by the court as surety on reinstated bail unless a written consent is signed by the bail bondsman agreeing to such extension of suretyship.

(3) Failure to render payment of the forfeited undertaking by close of business on the 91st day shall bar any right of remission to collect funds pursuant to the forfeited undertaking.

(4) The office of the clerk shall provide a summary quarterly statement of all overdue forfeited undertakings which have not been paid by each bail bondsman and insurer. The bail bondsman or insurer shall be afforded 30 days from the date of the statement to render payment of the forfeited undertakings. Failure to render payment by close of business on the 31st day shall result in suspension of the ability to conduct business of both the bail bondsman and the insurer in that judicial district until such time as payment is rendered in full. The bail bondsman may be subject to formal suspension or nonrenewal proceedings pursuant to section 5746. In addition, the insurer may be subjected to further administrative penalties, to be determined by the department, consistent with the act of July 22, 1974 (P.L.589, No.205), known as the Unfair Insurance Practices Act, or other applicable law.

(5) If the defendant is recovered after the 91st day following the forfeiture, a surety may petition the court in which the revocation and forfeiture occurred to remit all or a portion of the funds collected in exchange for the absence of the defendant. The court shall remit payment as follows:

(i) If the defendant is recovered between the 91st day and six months after the order of revocation or forfeiture, the surety shall recover the full value of the forfeited amount of the bond, less an administrative fee in the amount of $250.

(ii) If the defendant is recovered between six months and one year after the order of revocation or forfeiture, the surety shall recover 80% of the value of the forfeited amount of the bond.

(iii) If the defendant is recovered between one and two years after the order of revocation or forfeiture, the surety shall recover 50% of the value of the forfeited amount of the bond.

(6) No third-party surety shall be responsible to render payment on a forfeited undertaking if the revocation of bail is sought for failure of the defendant to comply with the conditions of the defendant's release other than appearance. Any violation of performance conditions by a defendant shall be deemed as a violation of a court order, subject to a conviction for indirect contempt of court for violating a court order instituting terms and conditions of release of the defendant and all associated penalties.

(July 2, 2015, P.L.110, No.16, eff. 120 days)

2015 Amendment. Act 16 added section 5747.1. See section 12 of Act 16 of 2015 in the appendix to this title for special provisions relating to licensure as insurance producer.