California · Penal Code

PEN §878: On holding the defendant to answer or on a plea of guilty where permitted by law, the magistrate may take from each of the material witnesses examined before him on the part of the people a written un

Civil

What this law says, in plain English

A magistrate may require material witnesses in a case to provide a written promise to appear and testify at trial, or forfeit $500 if they fail to appear.

Read the full statutory text

On holding the defendant to answer or on a plea of guilty where permitted by law, the magistrate may take from each of the material witnesses examined before him on the part of the people a written undertaking, to the effect that he will appear and testify at the court to which the depositions and statements or case are to be sent, or that he will forfeit the sum of five hundred dollars.

Verify at the official source: California legislative text

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