California Penal Code Section 1305(G) - Interpretation

In People v. Ranger Ins. Co. (1996) 51 Cal.App.4th 1379, the Court explained that the use of the term "elects" in Penal Code section 1305, subdivision (g) requires that the district attorney, in deciding on extradition, be faced with "a choice of options." (Ranger, at p. 802.) There is no such choice of options, however, if the record shows that extradition is infeasible. (Id., at p. 804 the district attorney is not required to " 'butt his or her head against a wall just to see how much it hurts' ".) "When extradition is not feasible, there can be no meaningful election whether to seek extradition, and the conditions for forfeiture relief have not been satisfied." (Ibid.)