As used in this part, unless the context otherwise requires:

(1) “Available capacity” is a professional bondsman‘s capacity reduced by the total amount of bail, expressed in dollars, which the professional bondsman has outstanding and from which the professional bondsman has not been released;
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Terms Used In Tennessee Code 40-11-301

  • Appraisal: A determination of property value.
  • 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.
  • bondsman: extends to and includes the agents, representatives or employees of a professional bondsman, or those acting for the bondsman, whether with or without compensation or salary. See Tennessee Code 40-11-301
  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Fair market value: The price at which an asset would change hands in a transaction between a willing, informed buyer and a willing, informed seller.
  • Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
  • Person: includes a corporation, firm, company or association. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Professional bondsman: means any person, firm, partnership or corporation, engaged for profit in the business of furnishing bail, making bonds or entering into undertakings, as surety, in criminal proceedings, or for the appearance of persons charged with any criminal offense or violation of law or ordinance punishable by fine, imprisonment or death, before any of the courts of this state, including municipal courts or securing the payment of fines, judgments or damages imposed and of costs assessed by those courts upon preliminary or final disposition thereof. See Tennessee Code 40-11-301
  • Property: includes both personal and real property. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
(2) “Capacity” is the total amount of bail, expressed in dollars, on which a professional bondsman may act as surety;
(3) “Equity in real estate” is determined by taking the fair market value of the real estate and subtracting from that value all outstanding liens and encumbrances. For purposes of establishing fair market value, either the county property assessor’s appraisal or an opinion of value from a licensed real estate broker may be used; and
(4)

(A) “Professional bondsman” means any person, firm, partnership or corporation, engaged for profit in the business of furnishing bail, making bonds or entering into undertakings, as surety, in criminal proceedings, or for the appearance of persons charged with any criminal offense or violation of law or ordinance punishable by fine, imprisonment or death, before any of the courts of this state, including municipal courts or securing the payment of fines, judgments or damages imposed and of costs assessed by those courts upon preliminary or final disposition thereof;
(B) “Professional bondsman” or “bondsman” extends to and includes the agents, representatives or employees of a professional bondsman, or those acting for the bondsman, whether with or without compensation or salary. The business of a professional bondsman shall be limited to the acts, transactions and undertakings enumerated in subdivision (4)(A) and to no others.
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