Barb’s Bail Bonds sues former bounty hunter for nonpayment [The Hutchinson News, Kan.]

Aug. 31--The bounty hunter for Barb's Bail Bonds put on the hot seat in a reality television show is feeling new heat.

Barb's Bail Bonds, 109 West Fifth St., severed ties with independent bounty hunter Jonathan Law between the taping of "Dog and Beth: On the Hunt" in May and the July airing of the episode on CMT.

More recently, Barbara L. Carithers, doing business as Barb's Bail Bonds, sued Law and wife Dena Law, for allegedly defaulting on a promissory note. The lawsuit also claims Jonathan Law did not turn over phone account information the business needs.

When Duane "Dog" Chapman and wife Beth taped the show here, they sought to find absconders for Barb's Bail Bonds and also reviewed the business' operations. Law came under scrutiny on the show for not promptly bringing money he collected to the office.

"He had a problem with turning his money in," said Carithers, saying she was unhappy with him before the show was taped.

Beth Chapman wanted to see paperwork on a man they were looking for and Law told her it was at his home, Carithers recalled. Carithers said Chapman then asked Law if he had collected the money, and when Law said yes and the money was at his house, Chapman "about jumped down his throat," Carithers said.

Beth Chapman considered that theft and said money collected should be turned in immediately to Carithers and Rena Smith, general manager at Barb's Bail Bonds, Carithers said.

Carithers couldn't recall exactly when they stopped using Law, but she figured she could not trust him.

"I just want my money back," she said.

Around July 5, the Laws executed and delivered a promissory note to Barb's Bail Bonds. The promissory note has a principal sum of $11,903. With interest charged, the repayment schedule agreed on was 11 equal monthly payments of $1,106.59.

Carithers said she had not loaned Law money, and the promissory note includes money Law collected but did not turn in. The $11,903 reflected a "combination of things" that was "rolled into one," said Stan Juhnke, Hutchinson attorney for Barb's Bail Bonds.

The first payment was due Aug. 1.

On Aug. 13, Barb's Bail Bonds sued the Laws in Reno County District Court, alleging the couple failed to make the payment.

Attempts by The News to reach the Laws, of McPherson, were unsuccessful.

The promissory note stipulated if the Laws defaulted, Barb's Bail Bonds could declare the full amount immediately due. Further, any legal costs incurred by the business to collect money would be added to the Laws' obligation. Also, in the event of default and the demand for accelerated payment, the interest rate on the outstanding amount would jump from 4.5 percent to 9 percent.

Barb's Bail Bonds is pursuing all of those remedies.

Law used his cell phone number of (620) 755-2324 in connection with Barb's Bail Bonds. He signed an agreement in January 2013 that allowed the number to be published in phone books as an agent for Barb's Bail Bonds.

Law promised if he left Barb's Bail Bonds for any reason, he would surrender the number listed in phone books "so as not to interfere with their business," the agreement stated.

He did not surrender the number but disconnected it, and did not supply the account number or password, Carithers claimed.

The News found Law's number prominently advertised by Barb's Bail Bonds in a regional 2013-2014 phone book. When the number is dialed, a recording begins: "The number or code you have dialed is incorrect ..."

"We advertise in lots and lots and lots of phone books," Carithers said, as well as on billboards and matchbooks.

Other phone numbers are listed in Barb's Bail Bonds ads, too, such as an optional toll-free 800 number, but Carithers is concerned the non-working number hurts the business.

The Laws have not yet filed their response to the lawsuit.

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