US House Judiciary Committee Hears Testimony on Bill
Bail bond practices should be reformed in order to end unfair advantages for affluent federal defendants and restore the traditional role of bail agents, U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Delray Beach, testified at a US House Judiciary Committee hearing last Thursday. Wexler added that under current law, if a federal judge sets extra conditions for a bonded defendant's release, such as a curfew or drug screening, the agent must ensure not only that the defendant shows up for trial, but also that the defendant satisfy the extra conditions or risk forfeiting the bond.
The proposed Bail Bond Fairness Act of 2007, introduced by Wexler and U.S. Rep. Ric Keller, R-Orlando, would make bail agents responsible only for the appearance of defendants, not their behavior prior to the trial.
Also testifying in favor of the bill were PBUS president, Linda Braswell and Armondo Roche of Roche Surety, Inc. US District Judge Tommy Miller testified against the bill.
The Professional Bail Agents of the United States (PBUS) has supported this legislation for several years hoping to repeal the practice of making bail bond companies responsible for performance as well as appearance of defendants in the federal courts. An executive summary of the bill is posted here on the PBUS website.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
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