People v. International Fidelity Insurance

Opinion

ELIA, J.

Appellant International Fidelity Insurance Company, through its San Jose agent, issued bail bonds upon two misdemeanor arrests, first of Saul Contreras and later of his alias, Javier Escobar. In separate proceedings the trial court learned that defense counsel had lost contact with the defendant, and on each occasion it ordered the bond forfeited. Appellant contends that these orders were improper because the attorney was authorized to appear on Contreras’s behalf at each pretrial hearing. We agree and therefore must reverse the order denying appellant’s motion to vacate…