As used in this article, the following terms shall have the following meanings, respectively, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

(1) APPEARANCE BOND. An appearance bond is an undertaking to pay the clerk of the circuit, district, or municipal court, for the use of the State of Alabama or the municipality, a specified sum of money upon the failure of a person released to comply with its conditions.

Terms Used In Alabama Code 15-13-101

  • Appellate: About appeals; an appellate court has the power to review the judgement of another lower court or tribunal.
  • 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.
  • circuit: means judicial circuit. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • 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.
  • following: means next after. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • 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 as well as a natural person. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • 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 Alabama Code 1-1-1
(2) JUDICIAL OFFICER. Any supreme court, appellate court, circuit court, district court, or municipal court judge or any magistrate of any court in this state.
(3) PROFESSIONAL BAIL COMPANY. A person, individual proprietor, partnership, corporation, or other entity, other than a professional surety company, that furnishes bail or becomes surety for a person on an appearance bond and does so for a valuable consideration.
(4) PROFESSIONAL BONDSMAN. An individual person or agent employed by a professional surety company or professional bail company to solicit and execute appearance bonds or actively seek bail bond business for or on behalf of a professional surety company or a professional bail company.
(5) PROFESSIONAL SURETY COMPANY. An insurance company, domestic or foreign corporation, or association engaged in the business of insurance, or a surety with a bail line of insurance to which has been issued a certificate of authority or certificate of compliance by the Alabama Department of Insurance to execute appearance bonds or bail bonds in criminal cases in the State of Alabama.
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