Alabama district attorney’s offices usually have a section of attorneys who work to recover the amount of bad checks for the victims. Once the merchant or individual receiving the bad check has followed the statutory notice requirements, they can take the matter to the Worthless Check Unit of their local district attorney office for assistance.
Nov 15, 2021 · Alabama district attorney’s offices usually have a section of attorneys who work to recover the amount of bad checks for the victims. Once the merchant or individual receiving the bad check has followed the statutory notice requirements, they can take the matter to the Worthless Check Unit of their local district attorney office for assistance.
A district attorney in Texas has the following duties: Represents the state in prosecuting felony criminal cases. Works with law enforcement officers in the investigation of criminal cases. Presents cases to the grand jury. Represents victims of violence in protective orders and represents the state in removing children from abusive households.
The Worthless Check Unit of the District Attorney’s Office was created in late 1992 to help businesses and victims minimize bad check losses. From 1993 to the present over $17 million has been returned to bad check victims in the Birmingham Division of Jefferson County by utilizing the unit’s deferred prosecution program.
The Worthless Check Unit of the District Attorney’s Office helps businesses minimize bad check losses. When the Worthless Check Unit successfully makes a recovery for a victim, we return to the merchant, as restitution, 100 percent of the check amount plus the statutory merchant service charge. The law also requires the bad check writer to ...
Circuit | Counties | District Attorney |
---|---|---|
10 | Jefferson | Lynneice O. Washington (Bessemer Division) (D) Danny Carr (Birmingham Division) |
The team from the district attorney’s office will also perform skip tracing tasks, arresting and prosecuting any person who chooses to avoid reimbursing the bad check.
The Worthless Check Law describes the crime of "negotiating a worthless negotiable instrument," the criminal penalties attached, and the responsibilities of all parties to try and resolve the situation.
Not every bad check will be handled by the district attorney's Worthless Check Unit. Any check not deposited within 30 days will not be handled by this unit. Nor will any post-dated checks, checks marked "stop-payment," checks written on an account that has been frozen by the bank, or checks with forged or irregular signatures.
Alabama allows 10 days for an insufficient funds check to be honored after written notice to the drawer of the dishonored check was sent. During those 10 days, the drawer of the check has to contact the payee with arrangement for repayment.
The crime as described in the statute states that, in Alabama, a person commits the crime of negotiating a worthless negotiable instrument if they negotiate or deliver a negotiable instrument for a thing of value and with the intent, knowledge or expectation that it will not be honored. Under Alabama state law, negotiating a worthless negotiable instrument is prosecuted as a Class A misdemeanor.
An individual who is given a bad check in payment for something of value generally has two years in which to seek an action against the check writer. There are certain types of checks with a three-year statute of limitations.
Notify the check writer by certified or registered mail that the check was returned for insufficient funds.
As a result, businesses are often forced to increase their prices to cover the loss of revenue caused by these checks, which directly affects other customers.
This means that 100 % of the check, plus the statutory merchant service charge, is returned to the victim. First-time bad check writers can benefit from the deferred prosecution program by avoiding criminal prosecution.
A two-party check; A check more than one year old; A check for less than $5; A check for which partial payment has been received; A check given in exchange for a returned check; A check marked “refer to maker,” “drawn against uncollected funds,” or “unable to locate amount;”.
Complaints may be filed in person or by mail to Worthless Check Section, District Attorney’s Office, 200 Derbigny St., Gretna, LA 70053 . Include a complete affidavit, the original check and certified documentation returned by the Post Office. A PDF version of the affidavit can be found at the bottom of this page. Please use black ink when filling out the affidavit.
You must send a certified demand letter, return receipt requested, to the check issuer, advising him of the dishonored check and allowing him 10 days within which to make payment. This letter must be sent to the person signing the check before the matter can be submitted to the District Attorney’s Office for potential prosecution.
Look for multi-colored checks from large corporations, but beware of “copier color.” Watch for shiny, tacky, raised letters and numbers. These are the best indicators of a copied check.
Checks must have been processed by the drawee bank and subsequently stamped NSF, account closed, no account, etc. Stop payment checks are not covered by La. R.S. 14:71, but may be referred to an appropriate police agency or civil court.
Once a complaint is filed, you may not accept payment from the accused. If an attempt at payment is made, please notify this office immediately.
There are certain procedures you must follow before this office will accept a returned check for prosecution. Issuing worthless checks is detailed in Louisiana law (Revised Statute 14:71).
Pursuant to Alabama law, you have 10 days from receipt of this notice to tender payment of the full amount of the check or instrument plus a service charge of not more than $30.00, the total amount due being $………
For further information regarding bad checks, merchants are strongly encouraged to contact the district attorney’s office in your county to determine if there is an established worthless check unit that can offer some assistance.
No. 91-319), to deter and prosecute persons who violate the law by negotiating bad checks and other forms of negotiable instruments. In 2014, the Legislature amended the law ( Act. No. 14-444) to include electronic drafts in the definition of negotiable instruments for the purposes of the section of the law dealing with worthless instruments. When this law is properly implemented, it provides merchants and prosecutors with an effective means to combat perpetrators of bad checks and bad electronic drafts. Listed below is a compilation of the laws governing worthless checks/instruments.
Unless this amount is paid in full within the specified time above, the holder of such check or instrument may assume that you delivered the instrument with intent to defraud and may turn over the dishonored instrument and all other available information relating to this incident to the proper authorities for criminal prosecution.”