§ 31A-11-112. Bail for traffic violations.

(1) Any insurance company that is qualified to transact a surety business in Utah may contract to become surety for any guaranteed arrest bond certificates issued by it or by a motor club, by filing with the commissioner an undertaking to become surety. The undertaking shall be in a form prescribed by the commissioner and shall state the following:

(a) The name and address of the motor club or clubs issuing the guaranteed arrest bond certificates on which the company will be surety, and whether the motor club will issue the certificates itself.

(b) The unqualified obligation of the company to be surety to pay, up to a specified dollar amount, the fine or forfeiture of any person who fails to make an appearance to answer the charges for which the guaranteed arrest bond certificate is posted.

(2) Any guaranteed arrest bond certificate under Subsection (1), when posted by the signatory, shall be accepted in lieu of cash bail or other bond in an amount not exceeding the dollar amount specified under Subsection (1)(b), to guarantee the appearance of the person when required by any court in Utah when the person is arrested for violation of any Utah motor vehicle law, or any motor vehicle ordinance of any Utah municipality, except for driving under the influence of drugs or intoxicating liquors or for any felony. A law enforcement officer who issues a citation to an operator of a vehicle who has a valid guaranteed arrest bond certificate in his possession shall obtain the necessary information for the arrest citation, and if the guaranteed arrest bond certificate covers the fine for the violation, the officer shall release the vehicle and operator after serving the citation and receiving the guaranteed arrest bond from the operator. The officer shall deliver the guaranteed arrest bond to the appropriate court to be held as a bail bond.

(3) A guaranteed arrest bond certificate posted as a bail bond in a district court is subject to the forfeiture and enforcement provisions which govern bail bonds in criminal cases. A guaranteed arrest bond certificate posted as a bail bond in a justice court is subject to the forfeiture and enforcement provisions of the charter or ordinance of the particular municipality which pertains to bail bonds.

(4) A motor club may not agree to exonerate or indemnify an authorized surety issuing guaranteed arrest bonds under Subsection (1) for losses in connection with these bonds.

Amended by Chapter 10, 1997 General Session
Amended by Chapter 215, 1997 General Session