S 798 Session 111 (1995-1996)
S 0798 General Bill, By Bryan
A Bill to amend Section 38-53-50, as amended, Code of Laws of South Carolina,
1976, relating to bail bondsmen and runners and surrender of defendant, so as
to delete the provision that the court, at the hearing, may order the surety
to refund to the defendant any fees paid toward the bail bond after deducting
the surety's actual costs, reasonable expenses, and reasonable fees as
determined by the court, delete certain other provisions, and provide for the
surety to take the defendant before the magistrate or municipal judge having
original jurisdiction.
05/01/95 Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-15
05/01/95 Senate Referred to Committee on Banking and Insurance SJ-15
A BILL
TO AMEND SECTION 38-53-50, AS AMENDED, CODE OF
LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO BAIL
BONDSMEN AND RUNNERS AND SURRENDER OF
DEFENDANT, SO AS TO DELETE THE PROVISION THAT
THE COURT, AT THE HEARING, MAY ORDER THE SURETY
TO REFUND TO THE DEFENDANT ANY FEES PAID
TOWARD THE BAIL BOND AFTER DEDUCTING THE
SURETY'S ACTUAL COSTS, REASONABLE EXPENSES, AND
REASONABLE FEES AS DETERMINED BY THE COURT,
DELETE CERTAIN OTHER PROVISIONS, AND PROVIDE FOR
THE SURETY TO TAKE THE DEFENDANT BEFORE THE
MAGISTRATE OR MUNICIPAL JUDGE HAVING ORIGINAL
JURISDICTION.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South
Carolina:
SECTION 1. Section 38-53-50 of the 1976 Code, as last
amended by Act 179 of 1989, is further amended to read:
"Section 38-53-50. (A) A surety desiring to
surrender a defendant for `good cause' or the nonpayment of fees
must give three days' notice to the defendant and his attorney of
his intention to attempt to revoke the bail bond. After the three-day
period has expired, the surety shall then take the
defendant before the appropriate judge magistrate or
municipal judge having the original jurisdiction and show good
cause why he should be relieved to obtain a commitment order and
deliver it together with the defendant to the official in charge of
incarcerating defendants. However, if circumstances exist in which
incarceration of the defendant is required to prevent imminent
violation of the specific terms of the bail bond, the surety may take
the defendant before the appropriate judge magistrate or
municipal judge having the original jurisdiction for a
commitment order. If the appropriate judge magistrate
or municipal judge having the original jurisdiction is not
available within a reasonable period of time or if circumstances
warrant immediate incarceration of the defendant, the surety may
deliver the defendant with an affidavit stating the facts to support
the surrender of the defendant for good cause. If the surety
surrenders the defendant with an affidavit, the surety must take the
defendant before the next available appropriate judge
magistrate or municipal judge having the original
jurisdiction for a commitment order. A surety who surrenders
a defendant with an affidavit for less than good cause is subject to
penalties imposed for perjury as provided in Article 1, Chapter 9 of
Title 16.
(B) The court, at the hearing, may order the surety to refund
to the defendant any fees paid toward the bail bond after deducting
the surety's actual costs, reasonable expenses, and reasonable fees,
as determined by the court."
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the
Governor.
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