Bail bondsman

Not to be confused with Bail enforcement agent.
A bail bondsman located outside of the New York City Criminal Court in Manhattan, New York City

A bail bondsman, bail bond agent or bond dealer is any person, agency or corporation that will act as a surety and pledge money or property as bail for the appearance of a defendant in court.

Bail bond agents are almost exclusively found in the United States because the practice of bail bonding is illegal in most other countries.[1][2] The industry is represented by various trade associations with the Professional Bail Agents of the United States and the American Bail Coalition forming an umbrella group for bail agents and surety companies and the National Association of Fugitive Recovery Agents representing the bounty hunting industry.[citation needed] Organizations that represent the legal profession, including the American Bar Association and the National District Attorneys Association, oppose the practice of bond dealing by claiming that it discriminates against poor and middle-class defendants while doing nothing for public safety.[3]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference johnson was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Liptak, Adam (2008-01-29). "Illegal Globally, Bail for Profit Remains in U.S." U.S. The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-01-29.
  3. ^ Liptak, Adam (2008-01-29). "Illegal Globally, Bail for Profit Remains in U.S." The New York Times. Retrieved 2018-08-25.