Supreme Court Rules

First Adopted: May 14, 1985

Most Recently Effective: January 01, 2007

Rule 37 | Statutory and Ordinance Violations and Violation Bureaus

37.29 | Bonds – Surety, Individual – Qualifications

A person shall not be accepted as a surety on any bail bond unless the person:

(a) Is reputable, at least twenty-one years of age and a resident of the State of Missouri;

(b) Has net assets with a value in excess of exemptions at least equal to the amount of the bond that are subject to execution in the State of Missouri;

(c) Has not, within the past 15 years, been found guilty of or pleaded guilty or nolo contendere to:

(1) Any felony of this state or the United States; or

(2) Any other crime of this state or the United States involving moral turpitude, whether or not a sentence was imposed;

(d) Has no outstanding forfeiture or unsatisfied judgment thereon entered upon any bail bond in any court of this state or of the United States.

A lawyer, or an elected or appointed official or employee of the State of Missouri or any county or other political subdivision thereof shall not be accepted as a surety on any bail bond, except that, this disqualification shall not apply if the principal is the spouse, child or family member of the surety.

If there is more than one surety, the aggregate net worth of the sureties in excess of exemptions shall be at least equal to the amount of the bond.


(Adopted May 14, 1985, effective January 1, 1986. Amended December 23, 2003, effective July 1, 2004; amended May 30, 2006, effective January 1, 2007.)
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