Terms Used In Florida Statutes 648.43

  • 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.
  • Bail bond agent: means a limited surety agent or a professional bail bond agent as hereafter defined. See Florida Statutes 648.25
  • Insurer: means any domestic, foreign, or alien surety company which has been authorized to transact surety business in this state. See Florida Statutes 648.25
  • 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
  • Professional bail bond agent: means any person who pledges United States currency, United States postal money orders, or cashier's checks as security for a bail bond in connection with a judicial proceeding and receives or is promised therefor money or other things of value. See Florida Statutes 648.25
  • writing: includes handwriting, printing, typewriting, and all other methods and means of forming letters and characters upon paper, stone, wood, or other materials. See Florida Statutes 1.01

(1) Every insurer engaged in the writing of bail bonds through bail bond agents in this state shall submit to the office for prior approval a sample power of attorney, which shall be the only form of power of attorney the insurer issues to bail bond agents in this state.
(2) Every professional bail bond agent who authorizes a licensed professional bail bond agent directly employed and appointed by him or her to sign his or her name to bonds must file a copy of the power of attorney given to the appointed professional bail bond agent with the sheriff and the clerk of the circuit court in the county in which he or she resides and with the department. Such power of attorney shall remain in full force and effect until written notice revoking the power of attorney has been received by the above-named officials.
(3) Every bail bond agent who executes or countersigns a transfer bond shall indicate in writing on the bond the name and address of the referring bail bond agent.