Harris County Bail Bond Board v. Blackwood

In this case we are called upon to interpret certain provisions of the Bail Bond Act relating to the licensing of bail bondsmen. Tex. Rev. Civ. Stat. Ann. art. 2372p-3 (1995) (current version at Tex. Occ. Code 1704.001-.306). The issues presented are whether the court of appeals erred in affirming the trial courts judgment renewing the license of respondent Allegheny Mutual Casualty Company when: (1) the license application before the court did not include three statutorily required recommendation letters; and (2) the trial court ordered the license renewed for two years from the date of its judgment rather than two years from the date Alleghenys previous license expired. We hold that the Bail Bond Acts application requirements are mandatory and that the Act provides a district court with the authority to act on a license renewal application only for the two-year period beginning on the date an applicants previous license expired. Accordingly, we reverse the court of appeals judgment and render judgment for petitioner Harris County Bail Bond Board.