Rule 531 - Qualifications of Bail Bondsmen and Insurers in Lehigh CountyA. INSURERS 1. Every Insurer duly authorized to do business in Pennsylvania and who appoints a bail bondsman to serve as a surety on any bail bond may be qualified by the Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas provided that it files with the Clerk shall file a current Certificate of Authority issued to it by the Department, and a current annual financial statement, in a form and manner prescribed by these rules.. All Insurers approved by the Court of Common Pleas have a continuing obligation to remain qualified in Lehigh County and no bond shall be issued by any Bail Bondsman appointed by an Insurer after May 15 of any year unless the Insurer has filed a current Certificate of Authority issued after March 31 of the same year and a current annual financial statement with the Clerk.2. An Insurer is precluded from insuring bonds under any circumstance where they have any outstanding and unpaid bail forfeitures, as determined by the Department of Law, in violation of 42 Pa.C.S.A. § 5747.1 or these local rules. In circumstances where the Insurer has any outstanding and unpaid forfeitures, any and all Bail Bondsman who are appointed by that Insurer in Lehigh County shall be precluded from serving as surety on any bail bond until such time as appropriate financial settlement has been made. The Department of Law shall immediately notify the Clerk, the District Attorney, the Magisterial District Judges of Lehigh County, the Court of Common Pleas-Criminal Division, any Bail Bondsman who is appointed by the Insurer and the Insurer when the Insurer is precluded from insuring any bonds due to a violation of the terms of 42 Pa. C.S. 5747.1 or these local rules. The Clerk and the Magisterial District Judges shall immediately cease accepting bonds from the Insurer and any of its appointed Bail Bondsmen. When the forfeitures have been paid in full or appropriate financial settlement has been made with the County of Lehigh, the Department of Law shall notify the Clerk and Magisterial District Judges that execution of bonds by the Insurer and its appointed Bail Bondsmen may resume.B. BAIL BONDSMEN 1. A Bail Bondsman authorized to conduct business in Pennsylvania pursuant to 42 Pa. C.S. §§ 5742-5743.1 may be qualified to serve as surety on any bail bond filed in the criminal courts of Lehigh County provided that he or she file with the Clerk a Qualifying Power of Attorney issued by an Insurer by whom the Bail Bondsman has been appointed setting forth the maximum limit of liability per bond, and a copy of their license issued by the Department, in form and manner prescribed by these rules. No bond shall be executed by any Bail Bondsman after the expiration of such Qualifying Power of Attorney until a new Qualifying Power of Attorney has been filed with the Clerk.2. A Bail Bondsman is precluded from acting as surety on any bail bond under any circumstance where they have any outstanding and unpaid bail forfeitures as determined by the Department of Law in violation of 42 Pa. C.S. § 5747.1, these local rules or the Insurer who has issued the Power of Attorney is precluded from issuing bonds for any reason. The Department of Law shall immediately notify the Clerk, the District Attorney and the Magisterial District Judges, the Court of Common Pleas-Criminal Division, the Insurer who has appointed the Bail Bondsman and the Bail Bondsman when the Bail Bondsman is precluded from acting as surety on a bail bond due to a violation of the terms of 42 Pa. C.S. 5747.1, these local rules or that the Insurer who has issued their Power of Attorney is precluded from insuring bonds. The Clerk and Magisterial District Judges shall immediately cease accepting bonds by the Bail Bondsman upon such notice. When appropriate financial settlement has been made with the County of Lehigh, the Department of Law shall notify the Clerk, the District Attorney, the Magisterial District Judges, the Court of Common Pleas-Criminal Division, the Insurer, and the Bail Bondsman that execution of bonds by the Bail Bondsman may resume.Amended effective 12/1/2015; revised effective 2/1/2020.This Rule in substantially the same form was adopted as CR 4011, by Order dated November 7, 1995, and published at 25 Pa.B. 5238 et seq. (November 25, 1995).