26.1-26.6 Bail Bondsmen
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<![CDATA[CHAPTER 26.1-26.6BAIL BONDSMEN26.1-26.6-01. Definition. As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires,"bail bond agent" means any person who has been licensed by the commissioner and appointed<br>by an insurer by power of attorney to execute or countersign bail bonds for the insurer in<br>connection with the judicial proceedings and charges and receives money for the services.26.1-26.6-02. Licensing and continuing education requirements. The licensing andcontinuing education requirements under chapter 26.1-26 apply to bail bond agents.26.1-26.6-03.Persons disqualified as bail bond agents - Penalty.The followingpersons or classes may not be bail bond agents and may not directly or indirectly receive any<br>benefits from the execution of any bail bond: jailers, police officers, committing magistrates,<br>magistrate court judges, sheriffs, deputy sheriffs and constables, or any person having the power<br>to arrest or having anything to do with the control of federal, state, county, or municipal prisoners.<br>A violation of this section is a class B misdemeanor.26.1-26.6-04. Qualification and license as bail bond agent - Pledge of property assecurity - Penalty. A person may not act in the capacity of a bail bond agent or perform any of<br>the functions, duties, or powers prescribed for a bail bond agent under this chapter unless that<br>person is qualified and licensed as provided in this chapter. However, this section does not<br>prohibit any individual from pledging real or other property as security for a bail bond in judicial<br>proceedings if the individual does not receive, or is not promised, money or other things of value<br>therefor. Violation of this section is a class B misdemeanor.26.1-26.6-05. Violations - Penalties.1.The commissioner may suspend, revoke, or refuse to continue, issue, or renew any<br>license issued under this chapter if, after notice to the licensee and hearing, the<br>commissioner finds as to the licensee any of the following conditions:a.Recommending any particular attorney at law to handle the case in which the<br>bail bond agent has caused a bond to be issued under this chapter.b.Forging the name of another to a bond or application for bond.c.Soliciting business in or about any place for prisoners or persons confined,<br>arraigned, or in custody.d.Paying a fee or rebate, or giving or promising anything of value to a jailer,<br>trustee, police officer or officer of the law, or any other person who has power to<br>arrest or hold in custody or to any public official or public employee in order to<br>secure a settlement, compromise, remission, or reduction of the amount of any<br>bail bond or entreatment thereof, or to secure, delay, or other advantage. This<br>subdivision does not apply to a jailer, police officer, or officer of the law who is<br>not on duty and who assists in the apprehension of a defendant.e.Paying a fee or rebating or giving anything of value to an attorney in bail bond<br>matters, except in defense of any action on a bond.f.Accepting anything of value from a principal other than a premium. Provided,<br>the bail bond agent may accept collateral security or other indemnity from the<br>principal which must be returned immediately upon final termination of liability<br>on the bond. Such collateral security or other indemnity required by the bail<br>bond agent must be reasonable in relation to the amount of the bond.Page No. 1g.Willfully failing to return collateral security to the principal when the principal is<br>entitled to the security.h.Knowingly employing a person whose insurance producer license has been<br>revoked, suspended, or denied in this or any other state.i.Knowingly or intentionally executing a bail bond without collecting in full a<br>premium for the bond, at the premium rate as filed with and approved by the<br>commissioner.j.Failing to pay any forfeiture as directed by a court and as required by this<br>chapter.2.A bail bond agent or bail bond agency may not advertise as or hold itself out to be a<br>surety company.3.A bail bond agent may not sign nor countersign any blank in any bond, nor give up<br>power of attorney to or otherwise authorize, anyone to countersign the bail bond<br>agent's name to bonds.4.When a bail bond agent accepts collateral, the bail bond agent shall give a written<br>receipt for the collateral and this receipt must contain a full description of the<br>collateral received in the terms of redemption.The bail bond agent shall keepcopies of all receipts of the bonds to be placed in business to be available to the<br>commissioner for the commissioner's review.5.The provisions and penalties under this section are in addition to those provided<br>under chapter 26.1-26.26.1-26.6-06. Access to jails. Every person who holds a valid bail bond agent licenseissued by the insurance commissioner is entitled to equal access to the jails of the state for the<br>purpose of making bond, subject to the provisions of this chapter and the rules adopted in the<br>manner provided by law. Jail personnel, law enforcement officers, and court personnel may not<br>suggest, recommend, advise, or promote a particular bail bond agent. Each jail shall furnish a<br>space convenient to the telephones in the booking area to be used to hold business cards of bail<br>bond agents.26.1-26.6-07. Surrender of defendant prior to breach. At any time before there hasbeen a breach of the undertaking in any type of bail provided herein, the surety or bail bond<br>agent may surrender the defendant, or the defendant may surrender, to the official to whose<br>custody the defendant would have been given had the defendant been committed.Thedefendant may be surrendered without the return of premium for the bond if the defendant has<br>been guilty of nonpayment of premium, changing address without notifying the bail bond agent,<br>self-concealment, or leaving the jurisdiction of the court without the permission of the bail bond<br>agent, or of violating the defendant's contract with the bail bond agent in any way that does harm<br>to the bail bond agent, or the surety, or violates the obligation to the court. For the purpose of<br>surrendering the defendant, the surety may arrest the defendant before the forfeiture of the<br>undertaking, or by written authority endorsed on a certified copy of the undertaking, may<br>empower any peace officer to make arrest, first paying the lawful fees therefor.26.1-26.6-08. Maximum commission or fee. A bail bond agent may not charge apremium, commission, or fee for a bond in an amount more than ten percent of the amount of<br>bail furnished by the bail bond agent, or seventy-five dollars, whichever is greater.26.1-26.6-09. Failure to appear. If a defendant fails to appear for a scheduled courtappearance, the clerk of court shall notify the bail bond agent. If the bail bond agent returns the<br>defendant to the jurisdiction of the court, the bail bond agent may petition the court for a return of<br>the forfeiture. If the bail bond agent returns the defendant to the jurisdiction of the court within six<br>months of receiving notice of the failure to appear, the court shall return at least fifty percent ofPage No. 2the forfeiture upon petition by the bail bond agent. If the bail bond agent returns the defendant to<br>the jurisdiction of the court beyond six months of receiving notice of the failure to appear, the<br>court may return the forfeiture upon receipt of a petition from the bail bond agent, less five<br>percent for court costs.26.1-26.6-10. Rules. The commissioner may adopt reasonable rules for implementationand administration of this chapter.Page No. 3Document Outlinechapter 26.1-26.6 bail bondsmen]]>