What is the term for the legal process by which a court calls upon the surety to produce the body of the defendant?

The term for the legal process by which a court calls upon the surety to produce the body of the defendant is "estreat." In the context of bail and surety, estreat refers specifically to the court's action to demand that a surety (such as a bail bond agent) fulfill their obligation to produce the defendant. If the defendant fails to appear for a scheduled court date, the court may estreat the bail, thus allowing the court to bring the surety into the proceedings to account for the defendant’s absence.

In this process, the surety may face financial consequences, as the court may forfeit the bail amount if the defendant is not produced. The estreat action ensures that the legal system remains efficient and that defendants are held accountable for their obligations to appear in court.

The other terms listed are associated with different legal concepts. Extradition pertains to the process of returning an individual accused of a crime back to the jurisdiction where the crime occurred, often involving cooperation between states or countries. Exonerate refers to freeing someone from blame or responsibility, typically after a trial or investigation, and does not involve the surety's production of a defendant. An extradition bond is a type of bond used in the extradition process