The January continuing education class provided by the South Carolina Bail Agents Association in Greenville, SC on January 13 was directed at educating agents on the biggest threat to bail agents across the country, Pretrial Release Services. While Pretrial Release Agencies are not currently in South Carolina, association President, Mike Curlee informed agents, that they need to learn about Pretrial Release and do everything they can to help in the fight.
Presenters included Melanie Ledgerwood of Accredited Surety Services, Inc, sharing some of the steps they have taken in their fight against Pretrial in Orange County, Florida. She outlined actions they took, such as their citizens campaign to 50,000 voters in that county. Ending her presentation, Ms. Ledgerwood advised that to fight pretrial release you need facts, to remain diligent, to be visible to your elected officials and to work with your local association.
Next Frank Richardson advised the agents in attendance that the association had created a PAC Fund to help in the fight against antibail legislation such as pretrial release. If you don’t participate and help in the fight against harmful legislation you can’t ask why it got passed.
Additional presenters were Greenville County Magistrate Judge Jesse McCall, sharing with agents how he interacts with bail agents and what they should do in his court. And lastly, local attorney Steve Sumner talked to the agents in attendance providing details on certain charges such as DUI and what they should ask defendants when doing their initial assessments.