Lancaster Cnty. C.P. Local Rules Interactive Book Rule 531

A. Approved Bondsman List

1. The Clerk of Courts shall compile, maintain, and make available for

public inspection a list of approved bondsman (professional or fidelity/surety

agent), hereinafter referred to as the "Approved Bondsman List", qualified to act

as bail sureties in Lancaster County.

2. A bondsman (professional or fidelity/surety agent) is not permitted to

act as a bail surety in Lancaster County unless he/she appears on the Approved

Bondsman List on the date the bond is signed.

3. The Clerk of Courts shall promptly notify the District Attorney's Office,

Solicitor's Office, Prison Warden, Bail Administration, the Office of the

Prothonotary, and Court Administration of the addition or removal of any

bondsman to the Approved Bondsman List.

B. Professional Bondsman

A professional bondsman shall not be included on the Approved Bondsman List

unless he/she:

1. Provides the Clerk of Courts with a currently valid registration and

license from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Insurance

pursuant to 42 Pa.C.S.A. § 5742;

2. Provides the Clerk of Courts with proof that he/she maintains an

office within Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, from which he/she conducts

business pursuant to 42 Pa.C.S.A. § 5744, and;

3. Posts and maintains as security with the Clerk of Courts, a Reserve

Account in the amount of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000.00) in United

States currency.

C. Fidelity/surety Company and Agent

1. A fidelity/surety company shall not be permitted to have agents on

the Approved Bondsman List unless a currently valid registration and license from

the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Insurance pursuant to 40 P.S.

§ 831 et. seq. is provided to the Clerk of Courts.

2. Each agent of the fidelity/surety company must post and maintain as

security with the Clerk of Courts a Reserve Account in the amount of twenty-five

thousand dollars ($25,000.00) in United States currency.

D. Removal from Approved Bondsman List

1. A bondsman (professional or fidelity/surety agent) may be removed

from the Approved Bondsman List for any of the following reasons:

a. Failure to comply with any of the rules as set forth herein;

b. Failure to comply with any applicable law or regulation of the

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or Rule of Court of Pennsylvania or of

Lancaster County;

c. Suspension or revocation of a license or registration by the

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Insurance or by any Court

of Common Pleas;

d. Failure to maintain a Reserve Account in the amount of

twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000.00);

e. The amount of the professional bondsman's outstanding bail

forfeitures exceeds three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000.00) as

determined by the Lancaster County Solicitor's Office;

f. Failure to pay a bail obligation into the Bail Judgment Account,

referred to in Rule 536.1, as required, or;

g. Failure to file quarterly reports with the Clerk of Courts within

thirty (30) days of the end of each quarter.

2. A fidelity/surety company and its agents may be removed from the

Approved Bondsman List if the aggregate amount of outstanding bail forfeitures

for the fidelity/surety company exceeds five hundred thousand dollars

($500,000.00) as determined by the Lancaster County Solicitor's Office.

3. Prior to the removal of a bondsman or fidelity/surety company from

the Approved Bondsman List, the bondsman or fidelity/surety company shall be

notified in writing of the intent to remove the bondsman or fidelity/surety company

from the Approved Bondsman List and the reason(s) for removal and shall be

provided with ten (10) days to remedy the basis for removal.

E. Reserve Account

1. The Clerk of Courts shall create and maintain a separate account

known as the "Reserve Account" for each bondsman or fidelity/surety company on

the Approved Bondsman List.

2. The bondsman or fidelity/surety company shall be solely responsible

for making the deposits into his/her/its respective Reserve Account as required by

this Rule.

Adopted 06-28-11 Effective 8-22-11