3. Forfeiture Procedure
U.S. District Court of Maryland Local Rules (December 1, 2025)
RULE 206. BAIL
1. Grounds for Insufficiency
a) Property Otherwise Pledged
Unless otherwise ordered by the Court, property serving as security for bail pledged in
any other court shall not be accepted as security for bail ordered in this Court.
b) Person Acting Under Power of Attorney
Bail shall not be taken from a person under a power of attorney or other written
instrument, save in cases of corporate surety where the power of attorney or written
instrument has first been filed with and approved by the Clerk.
2. Traffic Offenses
If any person taken into custody for violation of any traffic law or regulation triable
before a United States Magistrate Judge is a member of a travel club, automobile association,
or other organization providing its members with guaranteed appearance bond service, and
if the terms and conditions of such service are set forth on the defendant’s membership
card, the membership card may be accepted, in accordance with its terms and conditions and
subject to its monetary limits, in lieu of cash or corporate undertaking. The card shall be
retained by the judicial officer setting bail and shall be transmitted forthwith to the
organization issuing it, according to its established procedures, in exchange for other security
to be furnished to the Court.
3. Forfeiture Procedure
a) General
When a bail is forfeited by order of the Court, the Clerk shall send to the defendant,
defense counsel, and the surety a copy of the forfeiture order by regular mail. Within
fourteen (14) days of the date of the order, the surety shall either produce the defendant in
court or shall deposit in the registry of the Court the sum forfeited. A surety who fails to
comply with this requirement within the fourteen (14) day period shall be prohibited from
writing any other bails in this Court until compliance has been accomplished. In the case of
a corporate surety, this provision shall apply both to the bondsman and the corporate surety.
b) Judgment by Default
Judgment by default upon any forfeiture shall be entered in accordance with the
provisions of Fed. R. Crim. P. 46(e)(3).
