California Code of Civil Procedure 708.170 – (a) If an order requiring a person to appear for an examination …
(a) If an order requiring a person to appear for an examination under subdivision (e) of Section 708.110 was served by a sheriff, marshal, a person specially appointed by the court in the order, or a registered process server, and the person fails to appear:
(1) The court may do either of the following:
Terms Used In California Code of Civil Procedure 708.170
- Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
- Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
- creditor: means the state or the department or agency of the state seeking to collect the liability. See California Code of Civil Procedure 688.040
- debtor: means the debtor from whom the liability is sought to be collected. See California Code of Civil Procedure 688.040
- Person: includes a corporation as well as a natural person. See California Code of Civil Procedure 17
- Process: signifies a writ or summons issued in the course of a judicial proceeding. See California Code of Civil Procedure 17
- Sheriff: includes marshal. See California Code of Civil Procedure 17
(A) Pursuant to a warrant, have the person brought before the court to answer for the failure to appear and may punish the person for contempt.
(B) Issue a warrant for the arrest of the person who failed to appear as required by the court order, pursuant to Section 1993.
(2) If the person’s failure to appear is without good cause, the judgment creditor shall be awarded reasonable attorney’s fees incurred in the examination proceeding. Attorney’s fees awarded against the judgment debtor shall be added to and become part of the principal amount of the judgment.
(b) A person who willfully makes an improper service of an order for an examination which subsequently results in the arrest pursuant to subdivision (a) of the person who fails to appear is guilty of a misdemeanor.
(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 562, Sec. 3. (AB 1119) Effective January 1, 2024.)