California, United States of America
The following excerpt is from People v. Lexington Nat'l Ins. Corp., B251224 (Cal. App. 2016):
"As discussed above, section 977 may require a defendant's presence at a specific court proceeding, even if the Constitution would allow the proceeding to continue in his or her absence. (See People v. Jackson [(1996)] 13 Cal.4th [1164,] 1211.) Section 977 (b)(1), though designed to implement a defendant's right to be present, also serves an important public interest. The efficient functioning of the criminal system is enhanced by compelling a defendant's appearance at critical portions of his or her case, and by requiring the court-authorized written waiver at other covered proceedings to foreclose any doubt whether to proceed in the defendant's absence. ( 977, subd. (b).) Similarly, in the bail bond context, a defendant's required presence serves another purpose beyond guaranteeing the right to be present: '[T]he broad definition of bail implies its purpose to
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