Which term describes the discharge of the surety's liability when the defendant is surrendered to custody?

• A. Forfeiture
• B. Termination
• C. Release
• D. Exoneration

Answer: (D)

Exoneration is the discharge of the surety’s liability on a bail bond. When the defendant is surrendered to custody, the condition that the defendant will appear in court has been satisfied, so the court releases the surety from further obligation. This formal release of responsibility is what exoneration means in bail bond practice. It stops the bond from continuing to be a debt or risk to the surety, assuming there are no other outstanding conditions.

This differs from forfeiture, which is what happens if the defendant fails to appear and the court declares the bond void or payable to the state. Termination and release are broader terms that don’t convey the specific legal end of the surety’s liability in the same precise way exoneration does.