People v. Accredited Surety & Casualty Co., Inc

In People v. Accredited Surety & Casualty Co., Inc. (2006) 137 Cal.App.4th 1349, in addition to active cooperation from the defendant's family members, the bail agent was able to consistently gather specific and confirmed information of the defendant's location, what he was doing, and with whom. He had also learned the identities of people who were helping the defendant and where they lived. (Accredited, supra, 137 Cal.App.4th at pp. 1353-1354, 1359.) The declaration provided facts from which a court could reasonably infer that an extension of time would serve the purpose of returning the defendant to court. "Efforts by a surety during the first 180 days might not always translate into good cause for an extension if it is unclear that a defendant will likely be captured given more time. While the Ranger court was concerned that a surety would sit on its hands for 180 days and then come to court looking for an extension , neither can the surety be entitled to another 180 days simply by demonstrating it exerted some effort. The inquiry must be prospective as well as retrospective; otherwise, an extension does not serve the statute's policy of returning fleeing defendants to custody. That policy is best served by the surety showing that another 180 days might be productive." (Accredited, supra, 137 Cal.App.4th at p. 1357.)