Gómez v. State

OPINION

MANNHEIMER, Judge.

This is an appeal brought by Arelia Gomez, the agent of a bail bonding company that issued a bail bond to guarantee the appearance of a criminal defendant, James Haynes. When Haynes failed to appear for his sentencing hearing, Superior Court Judge Charles R. Pengilly declared the company's bond forfeit.

About ten months later, after Haynes was captured (apparently with Gomez's assistance), Gomez filed a request for a remission of the forfeiture under Alaska Criminal Rule 4l(h)(4). Judge Pengilly declined to hold a hearing on Gomez's request. He concluded (Incorrectly,…