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A.(CEKQW]cioAutoList8A.A.A.A.A.A.A.A."A.0.Normal d !USUS.,  _  -XX8`XXdd8    INTHECOURTOFCRIMINALAPPEALSOFTENNESSEE#X`X-I#-XX`@@*  ATKNOXVILLE#X`X-#,XX` & July25,2001Session L #X`X,#-XX` #X`X-#,XX`STATEOFTENNESSEE,Respondent/Appelleev.EDWARDALAN 4  _SCARBROUGH_,ALIAS,Defendant;INTERNATIONALFIDELITY H  INSURANCECOMPANY,Petitioner/Appellant#X`X,T#-XX` 󀀀 \  #X`X-w#-XX` #X`X-#AppealfromtheCriminalCourtforKnoxCounty   @@V V Nos.66772,68668,and68669MaryBeth_Leibowitz_,Judge   October17,_2001_ l  @@*AV) ` dE<W` A X  @@e e No.E200100304CCAR3CDV S  AV) ` dE<*` A +{    Ӏ I Thedefendant,EdwardAlan_Scarbrough_,failedtoappearforascheduledcourtdateonSeptember !q 21,1999.Conditionalforfeiturewastakenonbailbondsinthetotalamountof$125,000.00.The  ] suretyforthesebailbondswasInternationalFidelityInsuranceCompany,whichwasobligated I throughitsagent,GarysBailBonds,Inc.Defendantwasnotreturnedtocustodyuntilafterthetime 5 periodforfinalforfeiturehadexpired.InternationalFidelityInsuranceCompanyfiledatimely ! petitiontobegrantedfullexoneration.Thetrialcourt,afterahearing,grantedpartialexoneration   andorderedInternationalFidelityInsuranceCompanytopay$55,000.00.Weaffirmthejudgment  ofthetrialcourt.     Tenn.R.App.P.3AppealasofRight;JudgmentoftheCriminalCourtAffirmed . m E ThomasT._Woodall_,J.,deliveredtheopinionofthecourt,inwhichGaryR.Wade,_P.J._,and I  RobertW._Wedemeyer_,J.,joined. 5!  Jeff_Whitt_,Knoxville,Tennessee,fortheDefendant,EdwardAlan_Scarbrough_;LindaJ.Hamilton  #]" _Mowles_ԀandJohnKing,Knoxville,Tennessee,forthepetitioner/appellant,InternationalFidelity #I# InsuranceCompany. $5 $ PaulG.Summers,AttorneyGeneralandReporter;ElizabethB._Marney_,AssistantAttorneyGeneral; & "& RandallE._Nichols_,DistrictAttorneyGeneral;andWilliam_Crabtree_,AssistantDistrictAttorney '"' General,fortheappellee,StateofTennessee. (#(    OPINION  m*%*     Theappellant,InternationalFidelityInsuranceCompany( InternationalFidelity)wassurety E,', onthreebailbondsforthedefendant,EdwardAlan_Scarbrough_,inthetotalamountof$125,000.00. 1-(- _ThebondsweremadeonMay26,1999.InternationalFidelitysagent,GarySlusher,doingbusiness  asGarysBailBonds,Inc.,wrotethesuretyappearancebondsforDefendant.Defendantfailedto  appearforascheduledcourtdateonSeptember21,1999andabsconded.Conditionalforfeitureof  thebondswastakenonthisdateandscirefaciaswasissued.ThepartiesdonotdisputethatGary t Slusher,thebailbondsmen,receivednoticeoftheconditionalforfeitureandscirefacias. `   AccordingtothetestimonyofJerryWatson,avicepresidentofInternationalFidelity,Gary 8  SlusherwasterminatedasanagentofInternationalFidelitysometimein MarchorAprilof2000. $ t PursuanttoTennesseeCodeAnnotatedsection4011139,the180daytimeperiodwhichmustpass  ` beforefinalforfeiturecouldbetakenexpiredinMarch2000.GarysBailBonds,Inc.requesteda  L  90dayextensionoftimeinwhichtoreturnDefendantpriortothetakingofafinalforfeiture.The  8  trialcourtgrantedita30dayextension.InanorderenteredApril19,2000,thetrialcourtdenied $  asubsequentrequestforextensionoftimetoproduceDefendantwithoutfinalforfeiturebeingtaken.   JerryWatsontestifiedthathiscompanydidnotreceivenoticeoftheforfeitureuntilapproximately   April28,2000,atwhichtimeitpromptlybeganeffortstoregaincustodyofDefendant.Defendant   wasturnedovertotheKnoxCountyauthoritiesonMay22,2000.InternationalFidelitytimelyfiled   apetitionforfullexonerationfromthefinalforfeiture. p   Followinganevidentiaryhearing,thetrialcourtgrantedpartialexonerationintheamount H of$70,000.00andorderedInternationalFidelitytopay$55,000.00.InternationalFidelityappeals 4 thisdecisionofthetrialcourt.Thesoleissueforreviewiswhetherthetrialcourtabusedits  p discretionbynotgrantingfullexonerationtoInternationalFidelity.  \  X`XXX`  Thesubstanceofapplicablelawwhichaddressesthisissuewassuccinctlystatedbyapanel 4 ofthisCourtin#X`XX X`# X`XXX`Statev.Shredeh,909S.W.2d833(Tenn.Crim.App.1995),whichheldasfollows:   #X`XX X`Y#8  Theforfeitureofbailisgovernedbystatute.Tenn.CodeAnn.4011201through  Є215.Whenthedefendantfailstoappearasrequired,theissuanceofscirefacias  requiressuretiestogivereasonswhyaforfeitureofbailshouldnotbecomefinal.  Tenn.CodeAnn.4011202.Trialcourtshavethediscretiontorelievebail l bondsmenorothersuretiesfromtheliabilityofabailandareauthorizedtohold X  hearingstodeterminewhethertheforfeitureshouldbeexcused,lessened,or D! absolutelyremitted.Tenn.CodeAnn.4011204.Thediscretionhasbeen 0"  describedasbroadandcomprehensive,empoweringtrialcourtstomake #l! determinations inaccordancewith[its]conceptionofjusticeandright.Blackv. $X" State,154Tenn.88,92,290S.W.20,21(1927).$D #   Shredeh,909S.W.2dat835. &"%   Itisundisputedthat,atsomepointafterMay22,1999,whenSlusherwrotethebonds (#' bindingInternationalFidelityassurety,Slusherbeganwritingbondsforacompetingcompany. )$( InternationalFidelityterminateditsrelationshipwithSlusherinMarchorAprilof2000. |*%) InternationalFidelity,inessence,arguesthatonceithadactualknowledgeoftheforfeiture,ittook h+&* extremelypromptactiontoreturnDefendanttothecustodyoftheKnoxCountyauthorities.  InternationalFidelityarguesthatdenyingitfullexonerationinthiscasewoulddefeatthepurposes  andpoliciesofgivingsuretiesafinancialinterestinreturningcustodyofthoseforwhombondhas  beenmade.Itistrue,asnotedbyInternationalFidelity,thatthetrialcourtstatedinitsfindingsthat t InternationalFidelitywas expeditiousanda modelofpromptactionforpurposeofreturningthe ` defendanttothecourt.ThetrialcourtalsofoundthatInternationalFidelityhadfailedtoexercise L  supervisoryauthorityoveritsbonddocuments,anditsagent,GarySlusher,intheScarbroughbonds. 8    Thisfindingbythetrialcourtwasclearlysupportedbytheevidencepresentedatthehearing.  ` Forinstance,Mr.Watson,thevicepresidentofInternationalFidelity,gavethefollowingtestimony:  L   (83! !"3"  8  3&2  Q  :3  0`     Now,Mr.Watson,ofcourse,InternationalFidelitywritesin,ah,eachlocal $  areathroughagents,ah,authorizedto,ah,ah,ifyouwill,executethebonding   obligationsonbehalfofInternationalFidelity,ah,correct?3&U&݌ ` `  Ќ  ! ! (88"3"  8  3(2  A  :3  0`     Yes.Weengagewith,ah,withvariousretailsellersofbailbonds,locally,   acrossthecountry,andweappointthoseindividuals,menandwomen,ah,as p ourattorneys,infact,ah,andthenwefilewiththecountyclerkswitheach \ ofthosejurisdictionsaqualifyingpowerofattorney,whichauthorizesthat H particularretailsellerofbailstoexecutehisbondsonourbehalf,andwhen 4 heexecutesthatbondproperly,attachingtoitanexecutionpowerof  p attorney,itsjustasefficaciousasthoughthepresidentofthecompanysigns  \ thebond,andthats,andthatsthewaythebusinessoperates.3((݌H` `  Ќ  @$$(***    (88! !"3"  8  3M-2  Q  .3  0`     Well,whatsupervisoryauthoritydidyouallexertoveryouragents?3M--݌` `  Ќ  ! ! (88"3"  8  3/2  A  .3  0`     Well,wedontexertsupervisoryauthority.Theyre,theyare,independent  contractors.Theyrelocalretailbailbondwriters,andGeneralasbetween l themandus,wehaveacontractwiththem,andtherealitybetweenthemand X  usis,thatthesearetheirbondsthattheyarewritingonourfinancialcredits, D! andweservemoreinthecapacityasareinsurerwiththem.Asbetweenus 0"  andyourstate.Weredefinitelyonthebond.3/J/݌#l!` `  Ќ   (ʽ88! !"3"  8  322ʽ  Q  .3  0`     Howaboutbetween,howdoyoudetermineinfacttheymadeabond?322݌$D #` `  Ќ  ! ! (ڽ88"3"  8  3t42ڽ  A  .3  0`     We,wedontknowwhentheymakeabond.3t44݌&"%` `  Ќ   (88! !"3"  8  3!62  Q  .3  0`     So,you!3!6Z6݌(#'` `     )$( ! ! "(88 "3"  8  372  A  .3  0`     Theonlyway!excuseme!theonlywaywewouldknowwhentheymake  abondiswhentheyadheretoourunderwritinginstructionstothem,andthey  contactuspriortowritingabondabovetheirunderwritinglimitation.378݌` `    8  0`   Otherwise,theyselecttheircustomer.Theytakethecollateral.They ` underwritethebond.Andtheymakethedecisiononwhetherornottoget L  thedefendantoutofcustody.8 ` `  (Emphasisadded.)  `   Initsorder,thetrialcourtfoundthatInternationalFidelitywasentitledtosomeexoneration  8  fortheeffortsthatithadmadeinthereturnofDefendant,butthatfullexonerationwasnot $  appropriatebecauseofInternationalFidelitysfailuretoproperlysuperviseitsagentormaintain   controloveritsbonddocuments.Afteracarefulreviewoftherecord,weconcludethatthetrial   courtdidnotabuseitsdiscretionindecliningtograntfullexonerationtotheAppellant,International   Fidelity.      CONCLUSION  \ =  Fortheforegoingreasons,thejudgmentofthetrialcourtisaffirmed. 4  X`XXX`   `     h     ___________________________________ H    `     h     THOMAST.WOODALL,JUDGE#X`XX X`)>#