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1.
Applicable Statutes.
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MCKINNEY'S
CONSOLIDATED LAWS OF NEW YORK ANNOTATED CRIMINAL PROCEDURE LAW
CHAPTER 11-A OF THE CONSOLIDATED LAWS PART THREE--SPECIAL
PROCEEDINGS AND MISCELLANEOUS PROCEDURES TITLE P--PROCEDURES FOR
SECURING ATTENDANCE AT CRIMINAL ACTIONS AND PROCEEDINGS OF
DEFENDANTS AND WITNESSES UNDER CONTROL OF COURT--RECOGNIZANCE, BAIL
AND COMMITMENT.
-
MCKINNEY'S
CONSOLIDATED LAWS OF NEW YORK ANNOTATED INSURANCE LAW CHAPTER 28 OF
THE CONSOLIDATED LAWS ARTICLE 68--BAIL BONDS.
-
New Legislation –
1999 New York Assembly Bill No. 1432, New York 223rd Annual
Legislative Session Enacted Version Date November 21, 2000. AN ACT
to amend the general business law, in relation to the licensing and
conduct of the business of bail enforcement agent.
- Section 13.
This act shall take effect April 1, 2001.
2. Licensing
Requirements for Agents.
*** New York’s
statutes on the licensing of "Professional Bondsman" are very
lengthy. Therefore, in an effort to be brief only the first several,
and most relevant provisions are given below. See the statute in
full for all relevant licensing provisions. ***
- MCKINNEY'S
CONSOLIDATED LAWS OF NEW YORK ANNOTATED INSURANCE LAW CHAPTER 28 OF
THE CONSOLIDATED LAWS ARTICLE 68--BAIL BONDS § 6802. Professional
bondsmen; licensing
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(a) No person,
firm or corporation or any officer or employee thereof shall act in
this state as an agent or solicitor of an insurer doing a bail bond
business in soliciting, negotiating or effectuating any such deposit
or bail bond by such insurer unless licensed by the superintendent
as an agent pursuant to the provisions of this section. Any person,
firm or corporation so acting without being duly licensed shall be
guilty of a misdemeanor.
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(b) Every
corporation engaging as an insurer in the business of giving bail
shall procure a license pursuant to the provisions of this section
for each of its employees, officers and agents acting for it in
soliciting, negotiating or effectuating any such deposit or bail
bond.
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(d) Any such
license issued to a firm or corporation shall authorize only the
members named in such license as sublicensees, to act individually
as agents thereunder. Any sublicense issued to a corporation shall
authorize only the officers and directors named in such license as
sublicensees, to act individually as agents thereunder. Every
sublicensee, acting as insurance agent pursuant to a license issued
to a firm or corporation, shall be authorized to act only in the
name of such firm or corporation.
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(e) Before the
issuance of a license every applicant shall satisfy the
superintendent as to his trustworthiness and competence and
otherwise comply with the conditions set forth in this section. The
superintendent may refuse to issue any such license if in his
judgment such refusal will best promote the interests of the people
of this state.
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(f) At the time
of the application for every license a twenty-five dollar fee shall
be paid to the superintendent for each year or fraction of a year in
which a license shall be valid for each individual applicant and for
each proposed sublicensee.
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(g) Every
applicant for a license hereunder shall file with the superintendent
written evidence by those who know his character and reputation and
by such other proof as the superintendent may require, including his
fingerprints, that he is a person of good character and reputation
and has never been convicted of any offense involving moral
turpitude or of any crime. If such applicant is a firm or
corporation such proof must be made with respect to every member,
shareholder, officer and director of such firm or corporation.
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(h) In order to
determine the competence of each applicant for a license or a
sublicense, the superintendent shall require every applicant to pass
to the satisfaction of the superintendent a written examination to
be prepared by the superintendent and appropriate to the doing of a
bail bond business.
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(i) Every
individual applying to take any written examination shall at the
time of applying pay to the superintendent, or at the discretion of
the superintendent, directly to any organization that is under
contract to provide examination services, an examination fee of an
amount which is the actual documented administrative cost of
conducting the examination as certified by the superintendent from
time to time. An examination fee represents an administrative
expense and is not refundable.
- New
Legislation – 1999 New York Assembly Bill No. 1432, New York 223rd
Annual Legislative Session (FULL TEXT - STATE NET) VERSION: Enacted
Version Date November 21, 2000. AN ACT to amend the general business
law, in relation to the licensing and conduct of the business of
bail enforcement agent.
-
Section 70.
Licenses. 1. The department of state shall have the power to issue
separate licenses to private investigators <<+ , BAIL ENFORCEMENT
AGENTS +>> and to watch, guard or patrol agencies.
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No person, firm,
company, partnership, limited liability company or corporation shall
engage in the <<+ , BUSINESS OF BAIL ENFORCEMENT AGENTS +>> or
advertise his, their or its business to be that of <<+ , BAIL
ENFORCEMENT AGENT +>> without having first obtained from the
department of state a license so to do.
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Any person, firm,
company, partnership or corporation who violates any provision of
this section shall be guilty of a class B misdemeanor.
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Section 3.
Section 71 of the general business law is amended by adding a new
subdivision 1-a to read as follows:
-
<<+ 1-A. "bail
enforcement agent" shall mean and include only the business of bail
enforcement and shall also mean and include, separately or
collectively, the engaging in the business of enforcing the terms
and conditions of a person's release from custody on bail in a
criminal proceeding, including locating, apprehending and returning
any such person released from custody on bail who has failed to
appear at any stage of a criminal proceeding to answer the charge
before the court in which he may be prosecuted.
-
Section 4.
Section 71 of the general business law is amended by adding a new
subdivision 4 to read as follows:
-
<<+ 4. The term
"business of bail enforcement agent" and the term "bail enforcement
agent" shall mean and include any person, firm, company, partnership
or corporation engaged in the business of bail enforcement as
defined in subdivision one-a of this section with or without the
assistance of any employee or employees. +>>
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Section 5.
Section 72 of the general business law, as amended by chapter 645 of
the laws of 1964, the opening paragraph and subdivision 1 as amended
by chapter 324 of the laws of 1998, is amended to read as follows:
-
Section 72.
Application for licenses. Any person, firm, partnership, limited
liability company or corporation intending to conduct the <<+
BUSINESS OF BAIL ENFORCEMENT AGENT +>> and any person, firm,
partnership, limited liability company or corporation intending to
conduct the business of furnishing or supplying information as to
the personal character of any person or firm, or as to the character
or kind of the business and occupation of any person, firm or
corporation, society or association or any person or group of
persons, or intending to own, conduct, manage or maintain a bureau
or agency for the above mentioned purposes, or while engaged in
other lawful business activities also intending to engage in any one
or more of the activities set forth in section seventy-one of this
article except exclusively as to the financial rating, standing, and
credit responsibility of persons, firms, companies or corporations
or as to personal habits and financial responsibility of applicants
for insurance indemnity bonds or commercial credit or of claimants
under insurance policies shall, for each such bureau or agency and
for each and every sub-agency, office and branch office to be owned,
conducted, managed or maintained by such person, firm, partnership,
limited liability company or corporation for the conduct of such
business, file in the office of the department of state a written
application, on forms provided by the department containing such
information and documentation, including fingerprints, as the
secretary of state may require by rule and regulation.
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If the applicant
is a person, the application shall be subscribed by such person, and
if the applicant is a firm or partnership the application shall be
subscribed by each individual composing or intending to compose such
firm or partnership. The application shall state the full name, age,
residences within the past three years, present and previous
occupations of each person or individual so signing the same, that
each person or individual is a citizen of the United States or an
alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States
and shall also specify the name of the city, town or village,
stating the street and number, if the premises have a street and
number, and otherwise such apt description as will reasonably
indicate the location thereof, where is to be located the principal
place of business and the bureau, agency, sub-agency, office or
branch office for which the license is desired, and such further
facts as may be required by the department of state to show the good
character, competency and integrity of each person or individual so
signing such application. Each person or individual signing such
application shall, together with such application, submit to the
department of state, his photograph, taken within six months prior
thereto in duplicate, in passport size and also two sets of
fingerprints of his two hands recorded in such manner as may be
specified by the secretary of state or the secretary of state's
authorized representative. Before approving such application it
shall be the duty of the secretary of state or the secretary of
state's authorized representative to forward one copy of such
fingerprints to the division of criminal justice services. Upon
receipt of such fingerprints, such division shall forward to the
secretary of state a report with respect to the applicant' s
previous criminal history, if any, or a statement that the applicant
has no previous criminal history according to its files. If
additional copies of fingerprints are required the applicant shall
furnish them upon request. The secretary shall reveal the name of
the applicant to the chief of police and the district attorney of
the applicant's residence and of the proposed place of business and
shall request of them a report concerning the applicant's character
in the event they shall have information concerning it. The
secretary shall take such other steps as may be necessary to
investigate the honesty, good character and integrity of each
applicant.
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<<+ 1-a. Every
such applicant for a license as bail enforcement agent shall
establish to the satisfaction of the secretary of state (a) if the
applicant be a person, or (b) in the case of a firm, company,
partnership, or corporation, at least one member of such firm,
partnership, company or corporation, has been regularly employed,
for a period of not less than three years, performing such duties or
providing such services as described as those furnished by a bail
enforcement agent in section seventy-one of this article, as a
sheriff, police officer in a city or county police department, or
the division of state police, investigator in an agency of the
state, county, or united states government, or employee of a
licensed private investigator, or has had an equivalent position and
experience or that such person or member was an employee of a police
department who rendered service therein as a police officer for not
less than twenty years or was an employee of a fire department who
rendered service therein as a fire marshal for not less than twenty
years. +>>
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<<+ 1-b. The
person or member meeting the experience requirement under
subdivisions one and one-a of this section and any person or member
of such firm, company, partnership or corporation who engages in the
apprehension and return of suspects who fail to appear before the
court must either satisfactorily complete a basic certification
course in training for bail enforcement agents offered by a provider
that is approved by the secretary of state; or such person or member
must have served as a police officer, as that term is defined in
subdivision thirty-four of section 1.20 of the criminal procedure
law, for a period of not less than three years. +>>
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<<+ The basic
course of training shall include at least twenty-five hours of
training approved by the secretary of state and must include
instruction on issues involved with the rights and limitations
involving the bailee/fugitive who signs a contract with the bail
enforcement agent. Completion of the course shall be for educational
purposes only and not intended to confer the power of arrest of a
peace officer or public officer, or agent of any federal, state, or
local government, unless the person is so employed by a governmental
agency. +>>
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If the applicant
is a corporation, the application shall be subscribed by the
president, secretary, treasurer, and all other officers and
directors working for such corporation within the state of New York,
and shall specify the name of the corporation, the date and place of
its incorporation, the location of its principal place of business,
and the name of the city, town or village, stating the street and
number, if the premises have a street and number, and otherwise such
apt description as will reasonably indicate the location thereof,
where is to be located the bureau, agency, sub-agency, office or
branch office for which the license is desired, the amount of the
corporation's outstanding paid up capital stock and whether paid in
cash or property, and, if in property, the nature of the same, and
shall be accompanied by a duly certified copy of its certificate of
incorporation. Each and every requirement as to character of
subdivision one of this section as to a person or individual member
of a firm or partnership shall apply to the president, secretary,
treasurer and all other officers and directors working for such
corporation within the state of New York and each such officer and
director, his successor and successors shall prior to entering upon
the discharge of his duties subscribe a like statement, approved in
like manner, as is by said subdivision one prescribed in the case of
a person or individual member of a firm or partnership.
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Each person
subscribing an application pursuant to this section shall affirm
that the statements therein are true under the penalties of perjury.
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The secretary of
state may deny, suspend or revoke the license of a corporation if,
at any time, ten per centum or more of the corporate stock is held
by a person who cannot meet the character standard set for an
individual licensee.
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Section 7.
Subdivision 1 of section 74 of the general business law, as amended
by chapter 919 of the laws of 1972, paragraphs (a) and (b) as
amended by chapter 324 of the laws of 1998 and paragraph (c) as
amended by section 7 of part B of chapter 411 of the laws of 1999,
is amended to read as follows:
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(a) The
application shall be accompanied by a non-refundable fee, payable to
the department of state for the use of the state, for each
certificate of license, as hereinbelow enumerated, issued to the
applicant, if the applicant be an individual, of four hundred
dollars for a license as private investigator <<+ OR BAIL
ENFORCEMENT AGENT +>>, or if the applicant be a firm, partnership,
limited liability company or corporation, a fee of five hundred
dollars for a license as private investigator <<+ OR BAIL
ENFORCEMENT AGENT +>>.
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(b) <<+ ; an
applicant for a license as a bail enforcement agent shall execute,
deliver and file with the office of such department a surety company
bond in the sum of five hundred thousand dollars +>> , conditioned
for the faithful and honest conduct of such business by such
applicant, which surety bond must be written by a company recognized
and approved by the superintendent of insurance of the state, and
approved by the department of state with respect to its form, manner
of execution and sufficiency provided, <<+ FURTHER, +>> however,
before a license is issued to a non-resident the applicant must file
with the secretary of state a written consent to the jurisdiction of
the courts of New York. No such license as private investigator <<+,
bail enforcement agent +>> or watch, guard or patrol agency shall be
issued to a person under the age of twenty-five years.
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(c) The secretary
of state shall receive a non-refundable examination fee of fifteen
dollars from each person who takes an examination to qualify for
application for licensure pursuant to this article. Fees paid to the
department of state pursuant to this article shall be deposited in
the business and licensing services account established pursuant to
section ninety-seven-y of the state finance law.
3. Notice of
Forfeiture
- NY CRIM PRO §
540.10
S 540.10
Forfeiture of bail; generally 9NYN
- 1. If,
without sufficient excuse, a principal does not appear when required
or does not render himself amenable to the orders and processes of
the criminal court wherein bail has been posted, the court must
enter such facts upon its minutes and the bail bond or the cash
bail, as the case may be, is thereupon forfeited.
4. Allotted Time
between Forfeiture Declaration and Payment Due Date.
- MCKINNEY'S
CONSOLIDATED LAWS OF NEW YORK ANNOTATED CRIMINAL PROCEDURE LAW
CHAPTER 11-A OF THE CONSOLIDATED LAWS PART THREE--SPECIAL
PROCEEDINGS AND MISCELLANEOUS PROCEDURES TITLE P--PROCEDURES FOR
SECURING ATTENDANCE AT CRIMINAL ACTIONS AND PROCEEDINGS OF
DEFENDANTS AND WITNESSES UNDER CONTROL OF COURT--RECOGNIZANCE, BAIL
AND COMMITMENT ARTICLE 540--FORFEITURE OF BAIL AND REMISSION THEREOF
§ 540.10
Forfeiture of bail; generally
- 2. If the
principal appears at any time before the final adjournment of the
court, and satisfactorily excuses his neglect, the court may direct
the forfeiture to be discharged upon such terms as are just. If the
forfeiture is not so discharged and the forfeited bail consisted of
a bail bond, the district attorney, within one hundred twenty days
after the adjournment of the court at which such bond was directed
to be forfeited, must proceed against the obligor or obligors who
executed such bond, in the manner prescribed in subdivision three.
If the forfeited bail consisted of cash bail, the county treasurer
with whom it is deposited shall give written notice of the
forfeiture to the person who posted cash bail for the defendant may
at any time after the final adjournment of the court or forty-five
days after notice of forfeiture required herein has been given,
whichever comes later, apply the money deposited to the use of the
county.
- 1999 New York
Assembly Bill No. 11023, New York 223rd Annual Legislative Session
- The above
section is amended to include:
<<+ 4.
notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the
cash bail posted by a principal, who is under court order to pay
child support and has accumulated arrears in the payment of such
support, shall forfeit his or her bail pursuant to the rules and
regulations promulgated by the chief administrator of the courts
pursuant to paragraph (n) of subdivision two of section two
hundred twelve of the judiciary law. no forfeiture of bail shall
occur pursuant to this subdivision if a complainant in the
criminal action against the principal is a person owed such child
support. +>>
5. Forfeiture
Defenses.
- MCKINNEY'S
CONSOLIDATED LAWS OF NEW YORK ANNOTATED CRIMINAL PROCEDURE LAW
CHAPTER 11-A OF THE CONSOLIDATED LAWS PART THREE--SPECIAL
PROCEEDINGS AND MISCELLANEOUS PROCEDURES TITLE P--PROCEDURES FOR
SECURING ATTENDANCE AT CRIMINAL ACTIONS AND PROCEEDINGS OF
DEFENDANTS AND WITNESSES UNDER CONTROL OF COURT--RECOGNIZANCE, BAIL
AND COMMITMENT ARTICLE 530--ORDERS OF RECOGNIZANCE OR BAIL WITH
RESPECT TO DEFENDANTS IN CRIMINAL ACTIONS AND PROCEEDINGS--WHEN AND
BY WHAT COURTS AUTHORIZED § 530.80 Order of recognizance or bail;
surrender of defendant 9NYY
- 1. At any
time before the forfeiture of a bail bond, an obligor may surrender
the defendant in his exoneration, or the defendant may surrender
himself, to the court in which his case is pending or to the sheriff
to whose custody he was committed at the time of giving bail, in the
following manner:
(a) A
certified copy of the bail bond must be delivered to the sheriff,
who must detain the defendant in his custody thereon, as upon a
commitment. The sheriff must acknowledge the surrender by a
certificate in writing, and must forthwith notify the court in
which the case is pending that such surrender has been made.
(b) Upon the
bail bond and the certificate of the sheriff, or upon the
surrender to the court in which the case is pending, such court
must, upon five days notice to the district attorney, order that
the bail be exonerated. On filing such order, the bail is
exonerated accordingly.
- 3. At any
time before the forfeiture of cash bail, the defendant may surrender
himself or the person who posted bail for the defendant may
surrender the defendant in the manner prescribed in subdivision one.
In such case, the court must order a return of the money to the
person who posted it, upon producing the certificate of the sheriff
showing the surrender, and upon a notice of five days to the
district attorney.
- NY CRIM PRO §
330.10
S 330.10
Disposition of defendant after verdict of acquittal 9NYY
- 1. Upon a
verdict of complete acquittal, the court must immediately discharge
the defendant if he is in the custody of the sheriff, or, if he is
at liberty on bail, it must exonerate the bail.
- NY CRIM PRO §
190.75
S 190.75 Grand
jury; dismissal of charge 9NYY
-
1. If upon a
charge that a designated person committed a crime, either (a) the
evidence before the grand jury is not legally sufficient to
establish that such person committed such crime or any other
offense, or (b) the grand jury is not satisfied that there is
reasonable cause to believe that such person committed such crime or
any other offense, it must dismiss the charge. In such case, the
grand jury must, through its foreman or acting foreman, file its
finding of dismissal with the court by which it was impaneled.
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2. If the
defendant was previously held for the action of the grand jury by a
local criminal court, the superior court to which such dismissal is
presented must order the defendant released from custody if he is in
the custody of the sheriff, or, if he is at liberty on bail, it must
exonerate the bail.
- NY CRIM PRO §
180.70
S 180.70
Proceedings upon felony complaint; disposition of felony complaint
after hearing 9NYY
-
At the conclusion
of a hearing, the court must dispose of the felony complaint as
follows:
-
4. If there is
not reasonable cause to believe that the defendant committed any
offense, the court must dismiss the felony complaint and discharge
the defendant from custody if he is in custody, or, if he is at
liberty on bail, it must exonerate the bail.
- NY CRIM PRO §
210.45
S 210.45
Motion to dismiss indictment; procedure 9NYY
- 8. When the
court dismisses the entire indictment without authorizing
resubmission of the charge or charges to a grand jury, it must order
that the defendant be discharged from custody if he is in the
custody of the sheriff, or if he is at liberty on bail it must
exonerate the bail.
- NY CRIM PRO §
620.60
S 620.60
Material witness order; vacation, modification and amendment thereof
9NYY
- 1. [If] At
any time after a material witness order has been issued the court
[determines] that the order is no longer necessary or warranted, it
must, as the situation requires, either discharge the witness from
custody or exonerate the bail.
- NY CRIM PRO §
730.50
S 730.50
Fitness to proceed; indictment 9NYY
- 1. When a
superior court, following a hearing conducted pursuant to
subdivision three or four of section 730.30 is satisfied that the
defendant is an incapacitated person, or if no motion for such a
hearing is made, it must adjudicate him an incapacitated person, and
must issue a final order of observation or an order of commitment.
Upon the issuance of an order of commitment, the court must
exonerate the defendant's bail if he was previously at liberty on
bail.
- NY CRIM PRO §
290.10
S 290.10 Trial
order of dismissal 9NYN
- 4. Upon
issuing a trial order of dismissal which dismisses the entire
indictment, the court must immediately discharge the defendant from
custody if he is in custody of the sheriff, or, if he is at liberty
on bail, it must exonerate the bail.
6. Remission.
- MCKINNEY'S
CONSOLIDATED LAWS OF NEW YORK ANNOTATED CRIMINAL PROCEDURE LAW
CHAPTER 11-A OF THE CONSOLIDATED LAWS PART THREE--SPECIAL
PROCEEDINGS AND MISCELLANEOUS PROCEDURES TITLE P--PROCEDURES FOR
SECURING ATTENDANCE AT CRIMINAL ACTIONS AND PROCEEDINGS OF
DEFENDANTS AND WITNESSES UNDER CONTROL OF COURT--RECOGNIZANCE, BAIL
AND COMMITMENT ARTICLE 540--FORFEITURE OF BAIL AND REMISSION
THEREOF § 540.30 Remission of forfeiture
-
1. After the
forfeiture of a bail bond or cash bail, as provided in section
540.10, an application for remission of such forfeiture may be made
to a court as follows: (a) If the forfeiture has been ordered by a
superior court, the application must be made in such court; (b) If
the forfeiture has been ordered by a local criminal court, the
application must be made to a superior court in the county, except
that if the local criminal court which ordered the forfeiture was a
district court, the application may alternatively be made to that
district court.
-
2. The
application must be made within one year after the forfeiture of the
bail is declared upon at least five days notice to the district
attorney and service of copies of the affidavits and papers upon
which the application is founded. The court may grant the
application and remit the forfeiture or any part thereof, upon such
terms as are just. The application may be granted only upon payment
of the costs and expenses incurred in the proceedings for the
enforcement of the forfeiture.
- MCKINNEY'S
CONSOLIDATED LAWS OF NEW YORK ANNOTATED JUDICIARY LAW CHAPTER 30 OF
THE CONSOLIDATED LAWS ARTICLE 20-A--REMISSION OF FINES AND
FORFEITURES § 798. Remitting fines and penalties and discharging
recognizances
- Upon the
application of a person, who has been fined by a court, or of a
person whose recognizance has become forfeited, or of his surety or
of a person who has posted cash bail, or bail by credit card or
similar device which has been forfeited, the county court of the
county in which the term of the court was held, where the fine was
imposed, or the recognizance taken, may, except as otherwise
prescribed in section seven hundred and ninety-nine; upon good cause
shown, and upon such terms as it deems just, make an order,
remitting the fine, wholly or partly, or the forfeiture of the
recognizance, or part of the penalty thereof; or it may discharge
the recognizance. If a fine so remitted has been paid, the county
treasurer, or other officer, in whose hands the money remains, must
pay the same, or the part remitted, according to the order.
7. Bail Agent’s
Arrest Authority.
- MCKINNEY'S
CONSOLIDATED LAWS OF NEW YORK ANNOTATED CRIMINAL PROCEDURE LAW
CHAPTER 11-A OF THE CONSOLIDATED LAWS PART THREE—SPECIAL PROCEEDINGS
AND MISCELLANEOUS PROCEDURES TITLE P—PROCEDURES FOR SECURING
ATTENDANCE AT CRIMINAL ACTIONS AND PROCEEDINGS OF DEFENDANTS AND
WITNESSES UNDER CONTROL OF COURT—RECOGNIZANCE, BAIL AND COMMITMENT
ARTICLE 530—ORDERS OF RECOGNIZANCE OR BAIL WITH RESPECT TO
DEFENDANTS IN CRIMINAL ACTIONS AND PROCEEDINGS—WHEN AND BY WHAT
COURTS AUTHORIZED § 530.80 Order of recognizance or bail; surrender
of defendant
- 2. For the
purpose of surrendering the defendant, an obligor or the person who
posted cash bail for the defendant may take him into custody at any
place within the state, or he may, by a written authority indorsed
on a certified copy of the bail bond, empower any person over twenty
years of age to do so.
- New
Legislation – 1999 New York Assembly Bill No. 1432, New York 223rd
Annual Legislative Session (FULL TEXT – STATE NET) VERSION: Enacted
Version Date November 21, 2000. AN ACT to amend the general business
law, in relation to the licensing and conduct of the business of
bail enforcement agent.
-
Section 8. The
general business law [FN1] is amended by adding a new section 74-a
to read as follows:
-
<<+ Section 74-a.
Notification. Prior to taking or attempting to take into custody a
person, a bail enforcement agent shall notify a local law
enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the area in which the
person is believed to be located of such bail enforcement agent's
intentions. The notification shall be provided on a form prescribed
by the local law enforcement agency. Notwithstanding, the form shall
include information including but not limited to name, address,
local address and motor vehicle registration of said agent. The
local law enforcement agency in prescribing such form may consult
with the division of criminal justice services. A representative of
a local law enforcement agency may accompany a bail enforcement
agent when the bail enforcement agent enters what is believed to be
an occupied structure to search for or to apprehend a person. +>>
8. Other
Noteworthy Provisions.
- MCKINNEY'S
CONSOLIDATED LAWS OF NEW YORK ANNOTATED INSURANCE LAW CHAPTER 28 OF
THE CONSOLIDATED LAWS ARTICLE 68—BAIL BONDS § 6804. Premium or
compensation
- (a) The
premium or compensation for giving bail bond or depositing money or
property as bail shall not exceed ten per centum of the amount of
such bond or deposit in cases where such bonds or deposits do not
exceed the sum of three thousand dollars. Where such bonds or
deposits exceed the sum of three thousand dollars, the premium shall
not exceed ten per centum of the first three thousand dollars and
eight per centum of the excess amount over three thousand dollars up
to ten thousand dollars and six per centum of the excess amount over
ten thousand dollars. In cases where the amount of the bond or
deposit is less than two hundred dollars a minimum premium of ten
dollars may be charged. (b) No person or corporation shall:
(1) charge
or receive, directly or indirectly, any greater compensation for
making a deposit for bail or giving bail, or act in such business
as aforesaid without obtaining a license, or
(2) accept
any fee or compensation for obtaining a license or for obtaining a
bondsman or bail bond. Such person or corporation shall be guilty
of a misdemeanor and in addition shall in any action brought to
recover any such overcharge be liable for treble damages.
- (c) Any
member of the bar having any financial interest by which he is to
profit from the giving of bail shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
- New
Legislation – 1999 New York Assembly Bill No. 1432, New York 223rd
Annual Legislative Session Enacted Version Date November 21, 2000.
AN ACT to amend the general business law, in relation to the
licensing and conduct of the business of bail enforcement agent.
-
Section 10.
Subdivision 1 of section 81 of the general business law, as amended
by chapter 680 of the laws of 1967, is amended to read as follows:
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The holder of any
license certificate issued pursuant to this article may employ to
assist him in his work of private detective or investigator <<+ or
bail enforcement agent +>> as described in section seventy-one and
in the conduct of such business as many persons as he may deem
necessary, and shall at all times during such employment be legally
responsible for the good conduct in the business of each and every
person so employed.
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No holder of any
unexpired license certificate issued pursuant to this article shall
knowingly employ in connection with his or its business in any
capacity whatsoever, any person who has been convicted of a felony
or any of the offenses specified in subdivision two of section
seventy-four of this chapter, and who has not subsequent to such
conviction received executive pardon therefor removing this
disability, or received a certificate of good conduct granted by the
board of parole pursuant to the provisions of the executive law to
remove the disability under this section because of such a
conviction, or any person whose private detective or investigator's
license <<+ or bail enforcement agent's license +>> was revoked or
application for such license was denied by the department of state
or by the authorities of any other state or territory because of
conviction of any of such offenses. Should the holder of an
unexpired license certificate falsely state or represent that a
person is or has been in his employ, such false statement or
misrepresentation shall be sufficient cause for the revocation of
such license.
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Any person
falsely stating or representing that he is or has been a detective
or employed by a detective agency <<+ or that he is or has been a
bail enforcement agent or employed by a bail enforcement agency +>>
shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
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Section 12.
Subdivision 1 of section 84 of the general business law, as amended
by chapter 324 of the laws of 1998, is amended to read as follows:
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It is unlawful
for a <<+ OR BAIL ENFORCEMENT AGENT +>> to own, have or possess or
in any manner to wear, exhibit or display, a shield or badge of any
material, kind, nature or description, in the performance of any of
the activities as private investigator <<+ OR BAIL ENFORCEMENT AGENT
+>> , as distinguished from watch, guard or patrol agency, under
this article.
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It is unlawful
for a licensed private investigator <<+ OR BAIL ENFORCEMENT AGENT
+>> to issue to any person employed by such licensee, a badge or
shield of any material, kind, nature or description, and it is
unlawful for any person employed by such licensee to possess, carry
or display a badge or shield of any description provided that any
licensed private investigator <<+ OR BAIL ENFORCEMENT AGENT +>> who
also engages in the business of watch, guard or patrol agency may
possess, use or display or issue to employees in the conduct of such
business, a rectangular metal or woven insignia to be worn on the
outer clothing and approved by the department of state, which
insignia shall not be larger than three inches high or four inches
wide with an inscription thereon containing the word "watchman" ,
"guard", "patrol" or "special service" and the name of the licensee.
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It shall be
unlawful for any licensee to publish or cause to be published any
advertisement, letter-head, circular, statement or phrase of any
sort which suggests that the licensee is an official police or
investigative agency or any other agency instrumentality of the
state of New York or any of its political subdivisions. It shall be
unlawful for any licensee to make any statement which would
reasonably cause another person to believe that the licensee is a
police officer or official investigator of the state of New York or
any of its political subdivisions. It shall be unlawful for a
licensee to offer, by radio, television, newspaper advertisement or
any other means of communication, to perform services at any
location which is merely the location of a telephone answer service
unless full disclosure of that fact is made in the advertisement.
9. Noteworthy
State Appellate Decisions.
- In re
International Fidelity Ins. Co. of New Jersey, Surety
272 A.D.2d 272,
710 N.Y.S.2d 241 (Mem), 2000 N.Y. Slip Op. 05379
N.Y.A.D. 1 Dept.
May 30, 2000
- Order,
Supreme Court, Bronx County (Burton Roberts, J.), entered January
27, 1998, which denied defendant's motion for remission of bail, and
order, same court and Justice, entered February 2, 1998, which
deemed reply papers a motion for reargument, granted reargument and,
upon reargument, adhered to court's January 27, 1998 determination,
unanimously affirmed, without costs. Defendant's motion for
remission of bail, made some five years after forfeiture of the bail
at issue, was untimely (see, CPL 540.30[2] ). Moreover, defendant
lacked standing to seek remission (see, Matter of Van Deusen v.
People, 97 A.D.2d 924, 470 N.Y.S.2d 770, appeal dismissed 62 N.Y.2d
605, 479 N.Y.S.2d 1026, 467 N.E.2d 895 and 62 N.Y.2d 915, 479
N.Y.S.2d 10, 467 N.E.2d 894), and, in any event, there are no
exceptional circumstances warranting the relief sought (see, People
v. Cotto, 262 A.D.2d 138, 693 N.Y.S.2d 98, 99). We decline to review
appellant's arguments made to this Court for the first time on
reply. Were we to consider them, we would find them unavailing.
- People v.
Seneca Ins. Co.
184 Misc.2d 591,
711 N.Y.S.2d 670, 2000 N.Y. Slip Op. 20304
N.Y.Sup.
May 30, 2000
- Bail bond
surety moved for an order vacating bail forfeiture judgment. The
Supreme Court, Kings County, Anthony J. Cutrona, J., held that
dismissal of felony charges "without prejudice" on People's motion
required exoneration of defendant's bail bond and precluded
forfeiture of bail when defendant failed to appear at arraignment on
subsequent indictment. Motion granted.
- People v.
Burton
1990
150 Misc.2d 214,
569 N.Y.S.2d 861.
- Statute
requiring real estate used to secure bail bond to have value of at
least twice bail amount was not supported by rational basis and
violated equal protection as applied to defendant whose father
attempted to secure bail bond with real estate having value of one
and one half times bond amount; statutory purpose of restricting
activities of professional bail bondsmen and securing state in event
of forfeiture would not have been furthered by applying statute to
defendant. People v. Burton, 1990, 150 Misc.2d 214, 569 N.Y.S.2d
861.
- People v.
Stuyvesant Ins. Co.
98 Misc.2d 210,
413 N.Y.S.2d 843
N.Y.Sup.
Feb 09, 1979
- Surety moved
to vacate a judgment of forfeiture of bail. The Supreme Court, Bronx
County, Trial Term, William Kapelman, J., held that: (1) a surety
obligor on a consolidated bail bond can terminate its liability
prior to conclusion of criminal proceedings by including a clause in
the bond which expressly limits the effectiveness of the bond to a
specific period of time; (2) where, by its terms, a bond expires
prior to conclusion of criminal proceedings the surety is not
required to surrender the principal to the court in order to
terminate its liability; (3) surety was not estopped from raising
contractual limitation on ground that it failed to notify the People
that its liability on the bond was about to end, and (4) fact that
surety may have acted irresponsibly and might face claims by
indemnitors for breach of agreement was irrelevant to legal
relationship between the surety and the State. Motion granted.
- Public
Service Mut. Ins. Co. v. Murtagh
15 Misc.2d 973,
182 N.Y.S.2d 650
N.Y.Sup.
Nov 28, 1958
- Action by
insurer and licensed agents against magistrates for declaratory
judgment determining rights of insurer and its licensed agents in
regard to writing of bail bonds. Plaintiffs moved for an injunction
pendente lite. The Supreme Court, Special Term, Henry Clay
Greenberg, J., held that where magistrates refused approval of duly
executed bail bonds written by insurer which was duly licensed to
give bail bonds in criminal actions, and presented for approval by
coplaintiffs, executing agents who were duly licensed to act on
behalf of insurer in conduct of bail bond business, and such refusal
prejudiced plaintiffs' business, plaintiffs were entitled to have
magistrates temporarily enjoined therefrom so as to maintain status
quo pending determination of issues in plaintiffs' action for
declaratory judgment. Motion granted.
- Bounty Hunter
Provisions.
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