Missouri Laws 374.700 – Definitions
As used in sections 374.695 to 374.789, the following terms shall mean:
(1) “Bail bond agent”, a surety agent or an agent of a property bail bondsman who is duly licensed pursuant to the provisions of sections 374.695 to 374.789, is employed by and is working under the authority of a licensed general bail bond agent;
Terms Used In Missouri Laws 374.700
- Bail: Security given for the release of a criminal defendant or witness from legal custody (usually in the form of money) to secure his/her appearance on the day and time appointed.
- Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
- Department: the department of commerce and insurance. See Missouri Laws 374.005
- Director: the director of the department of commerce and insurance. See Missouri Laws 374.005
- following: when used by way of reference to any section of the statutes, mean the section next preceding or next following that in which the reference is made, unless some other section is expressly designated in the reference. See Missouri Laws 1.020
- person: as used in this chapter shall include any individual, partnership, corporation, association or trust, or any other legal entity. See Missouri Laws 374.046
- Power of attorney: A written instrument which authorizes one person to act as another's agent or attorney. The power of attorney may be for a definite, specific act, or it may be general in nature. The terms of the written power of attorney may specify when it will expire. If not, the power of attorney usually expires when the person granting it dies. Source: OCC
- Property: includes real and personal property. See Missouri Laws 1.020
- State: when applied to any of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories, and the words "United States" includes such district and territories. See Missouri Laws 1.020
- United States: includes such district and territories. See Missouri Laws 1.020
(2) “Bail bond or appearance bond”, a bond for a specified monetary amount which is executed by the defendant and a qualified licensee pursuant to sections 374.695 to 374.789, and which is issued to a court or authorized officer as security for the subsequent court appearance of the defendant upon the defendant’s release from actual custody pending the appearance;
(3) “Department”, the department of commerce and insurance of the state of Missouri;
(4) “Director”, the director of the department of commerce and insurance;
(5) “General bail bond agent”, a surety agent or a property bail bondsman, as defined in sections 374.700 to 374.775, who is licensed in accordance with sections 374.700 to 374.775 and who devotes at least fifty percent of his working time to the bail bond business in this state;
(6) “Insurer”, any surety insurance company which is qualified by the department to transact surety business in Missouri;
(7) “Licensee”, a bail bond agent or a general bail bond agent;
(8) “Property bail bondsman”, a person who pledges United States currency, United States postal money orders or cashier’s checks or other property as security for a bail bond in connection with a judicial proceeding, and who receives or is promised therefor money or other things of value;
(9) “Surety bail bond agent”, any person appointed by an insurer by power of attorney to execute or countersign bail bonds in connection with judicial proceedings, and who receives or is promised money or other things of value therefor;
(10) “Surety recovery agent”, a person not performing the duties of a sworn peace officer who tracks down, captures and surrenders to the custody of a court a fugitive who has violated a bail bond agreement, excluding a bail bond agent or general bail bond agent;
(11) “Taking a bail” or “take bail”, the acceptance by a person authorized to take bail of the undertaking of a sufficient surety for the appearance of the defendant according to the terms of the undertaking or that the surety will pay to the court the sum specified. Taking of bail or take bail does not include the fixing of the amount of bail and no person other than a competent court shall fix the amount of bail.