Bail Blotter: Bondsmen Upset with Higher Court Fees

• June 01, 2012
• by AboutBail Staff
• In the News

Each week AboutBail combs the web for the latest and most interesting industry news stories to bring you the Weekly Bail Blotter.

Questions Raised About Guns

LITTLE ROCK, AR – Two Louisiana bondsmen who were part of a recent shootout at a gas station have been released with no charges pressed against them. The bondsmen were trying to apprehend a suspect when the man fired at them, prompting the bondsmen to return fire. While no one was hurt, a bystander’s car was hit with a bullet. Since the incident, other bondsmen have spoken with media, saying that they would not have fired a weapon in such a public place. Bondsmen interviewed by a local news station noted that bondsmen have training with weapons and take target practice but most rely on information and on communication to catch felons and the weapons are only to protect themselves and as a type of last resort.

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Final Judgments About Bond Forfeitures Expected

TARRANT COUNTY, TX – Criminal court judges in Tarrant County have spent weeks meeting about bond forfeiture cases. The judges have decided that the district attorney rather than the district clerk will prepare final judgments in the cases. This change is to ensure that the judgments meet requirements in Texas laws. Judge Sharen Wilson stated that since bond forfeitures are a civil matter, negotiations involve Texas bondsmen and the district attorney’s office.

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Bail Release Okayed for Murder Suspect

BRIDGETON, NJ — Murder suspect Antwine J. Rivera has posted a $400,000 bond, despite efforts by the public and prosecutors to keep him in jail. County Superior Court Judge James Swift held a long bail source hearing to discuss the bond but rejected prosecutors requests to keep the man in jail. Bail source hearings are uncommon and most often used in drug cases. They are usually used to ensure that someone does not use profits from illegal activity to post bail and ensure that courts get a clear picture of where the money came from. Rivera’s mother testified that she worked with a New Jersey bail bond agency and gathered $15,000 in cash as well as a $25,000 promissory note to get the $40,000 to the bondsmen to release Rivera.

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Bounty Hunter Charged with Kidnapping

TULSA, OK – Bounty Hunter Adam McAdoo has turned himself in after being sought by police and after appearing on Tulsa Police's Most Wanted list. McAdoo has been charged with possession of a firearm and with kidnapping for extortion. According to authorities, McAdoo allegedly demanded cash from people who had warrants, saying that he would place them in jail if they did not surrender the cash. McAdoo then allegedly kept the money himself rather than giving it to a bondsman. McAdoo is out of jail on a $125,000 bond.

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Bondsman Accused of Beating Child

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – Daphne Leigh Porterfield, who works as a bondsman, is accused of beating her 7-year-old daughter, throwing lawn mowers, punching glass windows, and kicking at a police officer. Porterfield was arrested after her outburst and will likely be charged with multiple offenses related to the incident.

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Bondsmen Upset with Higher Court Fees

ANNISTON, AL – Residents of Calhoun County will soon have to face higher court costs if they need the court system. Under House Bill 688, which has been passed into law, court costs will rise between $15 and $45 for various services. Alabama bondsmen are upset that the law will also add $35 in fees on bail bonds. While legislators say the increases are needed due to budget cuts, some bondsmen say that the fees will increase costs for the public and will also create problems for bondsmen businesses. Some bondsmen note that people are already struggling with high legal costs and the new fees will only add to that. The Alabama Bail Bonding Association lobbied against the law, saying that it will push small bondsmen out of business and contribute to jail overcrowding.

To read the full article, click here. 

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