Under Article 45.044/45A.256, what must be included in forfeiture paperwork?

• A. Indicate to the treasurer that the bond amount should now be applied to court costs, fees, and fines and how much to apply to each; and indicate the amount to be refunded to the defendant if jailtime credit is allowed.
• B. Indicate the amount to be refunded to the defendant if jailtime credit is allowed.
• C. Indicate the time of forfeiture.
• D. Indicate the color of the bond.

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that forfeiture paperwork must provide precise financial instructions for what happens to the bond proceeds. When a bond is forfeited, the court needs to tell the treasurer exactly how the bond money should be used to satisfy the defendant’s obligations to the court. The required details include how much of the bond should be applied to court costs, fees, and fines and how those amounts are split among them, plus the amount that should be refunded to the defendant if jailtime credit applies. This ensures proper accounting and that funds are directed to the proper obligations, with any eligible refund calculated and paid out.

The other bits—like simply noting the time of forfeiture or the color of the bond—do not address how the funds are distributed or refunded, so they don’t meet the statutory requirement.