What must the clerk do upon receiving an appeal bond?

• A. Publish notice in local newspaper
• B. Return it to the defendant if unsigned
• C. Date stamp the date of filing and give it to the judge
• D. File privately until the appellate court requests

Answer: (C)

When an appeal bond is received, the clerk must date-stamp the exact filing date and turn the bond over to the judge. This keeps the appeal properly docketed in the court record and allows the judge to review the bond promptly, which is important for determining any stay of enforcement and the bond’s sufficiency. Publishing it in a local newspaper isn’t required by standard practice for appeal bonds, and an unsigned bond isn’t a valid filing—so it wouldn’t be accepted and would need to be corrected. The bond also shouldn’t be kept private or filed away until an appellate court asks for it; it should be entered into the record and available for the judge and parties as part of the appeal process.