Definition: A bail bondsman, or bond agent, is a person or a company that pledges money or propperty as bail to insure the appearance of a criminal defendant in court.
Generally, bail bond agents charge a fee equal to 10 percent of the defendant's bail. The 10 percent is the bondsman's compensation for posting the bail and is not returned to the defendant when he appears in court.
If the defendant fails to appear in court, the bail bondsman can legally hunt the defendant down with the help of a bounty hunter and force the defendant to return to the jurisdiction of the court. The bond agent can also file a lawsuit against the defendant to recover any costs incurred due to the defendant's failure to appear.
Also Known As: Bail bond agent
Examples:
He paid the bail bondsman 10 percent to get bailed out of jail.
