10Mar 2026 by Michael Whitlock No Comments

Bail Me Now

Bail

By Michael J. Whitlock, Executive Vice President - Bail Division It’s the second week of March, and I’ve only made one trip this year—attending the 2026 ASC Agent Appreciation Dinner and PBUS Conference in Las Vegas. Very unusual for me. My dad died recently, not long after celebrating his 90th birthday. He had been in declining health, and I was not going to be caught out of town when he passed, as I was when my mom died. John T. Whitlock—who most called Jack and fewer called John T.—backed into his career selling bail bonds in 1966 while living in Kansas City, Missouri, known to the locals as KCMO. He worked for Allstate at the time, providing for an ever‑growing family. Dad continued working in the bail bond business for…

21Oct 2024 by Michael Whitlock No Comments

The Cost of Trust: Preventing Employee Fraud in Today’s Modern Payment Landscape

Bail

By Michael J. Whitlock, Executive Vice President - Bail Division Ben Franklin once said, “Trickery and treachery are the practices of fools that have not wits enough to be honest.” When I was working in a bond office back in the day, specifically in 1982, bail transactions were paid with cash or personal checks. In most cases, bonds were paid upfront and in full. These days, however, customers tend to pay with credit cards, cash apps, or occasionally cash, and in many cases, payment terms are extended. Recently, one of our agents relayed a concerning story. An employee had been stealing customer payments over an extended period, amounting to many thousands of dollars. This employee was trusted and relied upon to manage many responsibilities in the office, including payment collections. Suspecting…

26Aug 2024 by Michael Whitlock 2 Comments

It’s a Dad Thing

Bail, News

By Michael J. Whitlock, Executive Vice President A couple of years ago, I was awakened at 2 AM by the sound of my wife, Marcia, talking to one of our kids. It was Stephanie; she had gotten a flat tire on her way back from Bloomington, Indiana, where she was attending Indiana University. She was parked on the side of the road, wrestling with a stubborn lug nut. I fell back asleep, but I woke up again a short time later to learn that the problem persisted. I stared at the ceiling, knowing what I had to do, even though I was still in a sleepy fog. I threw back the covers as Marcia asked what I was doing. "Heading towards Bloomington," I replied. My daughter was sitting on the…

29Jan 2024 by Michael Whitlock 1 Comment

Embracing Technological Advances: The Rise of E-Bail Bonds

Bail, ebonds, News

By Michael J. Whitlock, Executive Vice President In a significant move towards modernization, Denton County, Texas has become the latest jurisdiction to mandate bail agents to post bonds electronically. This development underscores the gradual adoption of e-filing systems within the bail industry, a concept that has been discussed for years but is only now gaining traction in certain states. American Surety Company, with a notable presence in Texas and Georgia, has embraced this shift, working with our agents to post bonds electronically where permissible. While the move to e-filing appears logical to some, it has sparked varying opinions within the industry. Reflecting on the anticipation surrounding e-bonds, it brings to mind the days when I was playing soccer as a teen in Memphis. It was 1976, Kyle Rote, Jr. was the…