When a person signs a written promise to appear at the time and place specified in the written promise to appear and has not posted bail as provided in Section 664, the magistrate shall issue and have delivered for execution a warrant for his arrest within twenty (20) days after his failure to appear as promised, or if such person promises to appear before an officer authorized to accept bail other than a magistrate and fails to do so on or before the date which he promised to appear, then, within twenty (20) days after the delivery of such written promise to appear by the officer to a magistrate having jurisdiction over the offense.

When such person violates his promise to appear before an officer authorized to receive bail other than a magistrate, the officer shall immediately deliver to the magistrate having jurisdiction over the offense charged the written promise to appear and the complaint, if any, filed by the arresting officer.

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Terms Used In California Harbors and Navigation Code 666

  • Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
  • Bail: Security given for the release of a criminal defendant or witness from legal custody (usually in the form of money) to secure his/her appearance on the day and time appointed.
  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Person: means an individual, partnership, firm, corporation, limited liability company, association, or other entity, but does not include the United States, the state, or a municipality or subdivision thereof. See California Harbors and Navigation Code 651

(Added by Stats. 1959, Ch. 1454.)