When a defendant posts a bond and fails to appear for traffic offenses, the court must report the bond forfeiture to the Department of Public Safety when there is a final judgment on the forfeiture.

• A. False
• B. True
• C. Only if the defendant is in custody
• D. Only if the bond amount exceeds threshold

Answer: (B)

When a bond is posted for a traffic offense and the person fails to appear, the bond is forfeited. The court’s duty to report that forfeiture to the Department of Public Safety happens only after the forfeiture has a final judgment—i.e., once the court has entered a final order on the forfeiture. This final disposition signals that the matter is closed for purposes of the bond and triggers the official update to DPS records, reflecting the failure to appear and the resulting forfeiture. The reporting isn’t contingent on whether the defendant is in custody or on the bond amount; those factors don’t determine when reporting to DPS occurs.