Chester Cnty. C.P. Court of Common Pleas Local Rules of Criminal Procedure Rule 530.2

Any defendant released on percentage, nominal or unsecured bail shall be subject to the

rules, regulations and special conditions of the bail agency, as set forth on the Bond. Where the

Court or the issuing authority releases a defendant on percentage or nominal bail, the bail agency

may be designated as surety for the defendant.

Rule 531(A).1. Bail Bondsman: Definition.

For purposes of these rules, the definition of “bail bondsman” shall be that which is set

forth under 42 Pa.C.S.A. § 5741.

Rule 531(A).2. Bail Bondsmen Prohibited from Posting Percentage Bail.

Bail bondsmen and their agents are expressly prohibited from posting percentage bail

allowed pursuant to these rules.

Rule 531(A).3. Listing of Approved Bail Bondsmen.

The Clerk of Courts shall compile, maintain, and make available for public inspection, both

on its departmental website and in hard copy, a list of approved bail bondsmen authorized to act

as sureties in Chester County (hereinafter, “the approved list”). The approved list shall be

substantially in the following form:

____________________________________________________________

COURT OF COMMON PLEAS OF CHESTER COUNTY

15th Judicial District of Pennsylvania

Bail Bondsmen Authorized to Act as Sureties in Chester County

(effective {last revision date})

____________________________________________________________

1. Individual Name of Bail Bondsman

Tradename of Bail Bondsman (if any)

Pennsylvania Office Address of Bail Bondsman provided pursuant to

42 Pa.C.S.A. §§ 5743.1(2) and 5744

Telephone Number(s) of Bail Bondsman

Maximum Monetary Authority of Bail Bondsman (per bond)

Expiration Date of License Issued to Bail Bondsman by the

Insurance Department of the Commonwealth

2. …

____________________________________________________________

Rule 531(A).4. Petition for Placement of Bail Bondsman on Approved List.

A bail bondsman wishing to be placed on the approved list must file a petition for such

inclusion, in the manner provided by Pa.R.Crim.P. 575 et seq. All documents required under 42

Pa.C.S.A. § 5743.1 shall be appended to the petition at the time of its filing. Copies of said petition

and appendices shall be served on the District Attorney, the bail agency, and the County Solicitor.

Hearing on said petition shall be scheduled by the Court Administrator on not less than twenty

(20) days’ notice to the District Attorney, the bail agency, and the County Solicitor, which period

may be extended for good cause shown on application by any of the three agencies. Upon a finding

of compliance by the applicant with these rules and all applicable laws, the Court shall order the

Clerk of Courts to place the name of the applicant on the approved list.

Rule 531(A).5. Removal of Bail Bondsman from Approved List.

Upon motion of the District Attorney or the County Solicitor, and following a hearing held

not less than ten (10) days after the issuance of a rule returnable, served on the bail bondsman

pursuant to 42 Pa.C.S.A. § 5746(a), the Court of Common Pleas may order the Clerk of Courts to

remove the name of a bail bondsman from the approved list. Grounds for suspension or revocation

shall include, without limitation:

(i) any of the grounds enumerated under 42 Pa.C.S.A. § 5746(b);

(ii) failure of the bail bondsman to comply with any requirement of these rules;

(iii) suspension or revocation of the bail bondsman’s authority to conduct business, by

a Court of Common Pleas elsewhere in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; and

(iv) suspension or non-renewal of the bail bondsman’s license by the Insurance

Department of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Rule 531(A).6. Approved List: Amendments and Distribution.

The Clerk of Courts shall keep the approved list current at all times. Whenever

circumstances warrant an addition to, a deletion from, or any other amendment to the list, the Clerk

of Courts shall:

(i) promptly update the list to reflect the amendment, and thereafter post the updated

list on its departmental website; and

(ii) within forty-eight (48) hours of the amendment, distribute copies of the updated list

via electronic mail to the District Attorney, the Public Defender, the bail agency,

the Warden of Chester County Prison, the County Solicitor, and the Court

Administrator.

The Court Administrator shall distribute the updated list to all sitting Judges of the Court

of Common Pleas and to all Magisterial District Judges within the Fifteenth Judicial District.

The Clerk of Courts shall distribute a current list to the aforesaid individuals and

departments at least quarterly, even if there have been no amendments or updates to the list since

it was last distributed.