A. The bondsman or insurer, or a licensed bail enforcer pursuant to a client contract authorized by the Bail Enforcement and Licensing Act, desiring to make a surrender of the defendant shall procure or have in his or her possession a certified copy of the undertakings and deliver such documents together with the defendant to the official in whose custody the defendant was at the time bail was taken, or to the official into whose custody he or she would have been given had he or she been committed, who shall detain the defendant in custody thereon, as upon a commitment, and by a certificate in writing acknowledge the surrender.

Upon the presentation of a certified copy of the undertaking and the certificate of the official, the court before which the defendant has been held to answer, or the court in which the preliminary examination, indictment, information or appeal is pending, shall upon notice of three (3) days given by the person making the surrender to the prosecuting officer of the court having jurisdiction of the offense, together with a copy of the undertakings and certificate, order that the obligors be exonerated from liability on their undertakings; and, if money has been deposited as bail, that such money or bonds be refunded. If property pledged, a certificate of exoneration be issued and the lien previously filed be released and the undertakings of whatever nature be canceled.

If certified copies of bonds are not reasonably available, the bondsman or insurer may recommit the defendant to be held in custody on the charges for which the bondsman or insurer has previously posted appearance bonds thereon in accordance with the following procedure:

1. On a Recommitment of Defendant by Bondsman form approved by the Administrative Office of the Courts, the bondsman or insurer shall personally affix his or her signature to an affidavit attesting to the following:

a.the bondsman or insurer has posted a bond or bonds for the defendant and is hereby presented to the official in whose custody the defendant was at the time bail was taken,

b.the case number, if any, assigned to each bond, and

c.the specific charges and bond amount or amounts;

2. The bondsman or insurer shall present the Recommitment of Defendant by Bondsman form to the official in whose custody the defendant is being surrendered, and the official shall detain the defendant in his or her custody thereon, as upon a commitment, and by a certificate in writing acknowledging the surrender; and

3. When a bondsman or insurer recommits a defendant pursuant to this subsection, the bondsman or insurer shall file a written notification thereof to the courts, and after such notification, the bond or bonds shall be exonerated and the clerk shall enter a minute in the case exonerating the bond or bonds.

B. Any bail bondsman engaged in the apprehension or surrender of his or her defendant client, and any bail bondsman assisting another bondsman pursuant to Section 1311.4 of this title, shall at all times while engaged in the apprehension or surrender of the defendant client have his or her bail bondsman license in his or her possession and shall present the license to any law enforcement officer immediately upon request.

Added by Laws 1965, c. 184, § 28, eff. Jan. 1, 1966. Amended by Laws 2005, c. 71, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 2005; Laws 2013, c. 407, § 24, eff. Nov. 1, 2013; Laws 2016, c. 203, § 11, eff. Nov. 1, 2016.