Finance Unit Frequently Asked Questions
- What type of payments does the court accept?
- How should the check be made payable?
- Where should I send my check?
- Who do I call to find out my outstanding balance for criminal debt (special assessment, restitution, fine)?
- Who do I contact to inquire about a restitution payment due to me?
- Who do I contact to notify about a change of address for restitution checks due to me?
- What do I need to do to change the payee's name on a restitution check due to marriage, divorce, death, next of kin, etc?
- How is the money that is deposited with the court for criminal bonds and other registry funds invested?
- How do I get my money which was posted for a criminal bond returned to me?
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How can I get a reconveyance for my property which was posted to the court to secure bail?
What type of payments does the court accept?
The court accepts payments made by cash, checks, money orders, cashiers checks, credit cards in person (Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover), and wire deposits for large amounts only. Please call the Finance Department at 415-522-4621 for wire instructions. Please make sure you have a court order directing that payment be made to the court prior to calling for wire instructions.
How should the check be made payable?
Please make checks payable to “Clerk, U.S. District Court.” Write your case number and any other reference number or information on your check so that we can properly apply your payment. Make sure that you have entered all the required information (payee name, amount, date, signature, etc.) on your check before mailing to our office to avoid having your check returned to you for missing information.
Where should I send my check?
You may mail your check to any of the following offices:
U.S. District Court
450 Golden Gate Ave.
San Francisco, CA 94102 U.S. District Court
1301 Clay St., Suite 400S
Oakland, CA 94612 U.S. District Court
280 South First St., Rm 2112
San Jose, CA 95113Who do I call to find out my outstanding balance for criminal debt (special assessment, restitution, fine)?
Please call the Finance Department at 415-522-4621 for the principal amount owed. You will need to call the U.S. Attorney's Financial Litigation Unit at 415-436-6970 to find out how much interest and/or penalty amounts might have been assessed on the balance that is due. The Clerk's Office is not able to calculate interest or penalty amounts.
Who do I contact to inquire about a restitution payment due to me?
Please call the Finance Unit at (415) 522-4621 to find out the status of payments to be made to you.
Who do I contact to notify about a change of address for restitution checks due to me?
Please send a letter, fax or e-mail to us with the case title and number to the Finance Unit at U.S. District Court, 450 Golden Gate Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94102, fax (415) 522-4103, or e-mail at CAND_Finance@cand.uscourts.gov.
What do I need to do to change the payee's name on a restitution check due to marriage, divorce, death, next of kin, etc?
You will need to submit to the court a request to have the name changed. Please provide with your request to the judge documentation for the name change.
How is the money that is deposited with the court for criminal bonds and other registry funds invested?
Money is invested in Treasury securities which are held in the Federal Reserve Bank in Dallas, Texas. Please refer to General Order 31 (.pdf) “In the Matter of Court Registry Funds” for additional information.
How do I get my money which was posted for a criminal bond returned to me?
Check to see if there is a court order to return the criminal bond or order exonerating bond. Unless otherwise ordered, the money will be returned to the person(s) named on the Affidavit of Owner of Cash Security form completed at the time the money was posted. Please refer to Exhibit D of General Order 55 (.pdf) “Bond Exoneration and Return of Property” for more information.
How can I get a reconveyance for my property which was posted to the court to secure bail?
Check to see if there is a court order to reconvey the property or to exonerate the bond. If there is no such court order, please contact the defense attorney to obtain one. Once a court order has been obtained, please submit a completed reconveyance form to the Finance Department for signature. We will return the signed reconveyance form to the property owner to record in the recorder's office where the property is located. Please refer to General Order 55 “Bond Exoneration and Return of Property” for additional information.