A
bail bondsman or
bail bond agent is any person or corporation that will act as a
surety and pledge money or property as
bail for the appearance of
persons accused in court. Although
banks,
insurance companies and other similar institutions are usually the sureties on other types of contracts (for example, to bond a contractor who is under a contractual obligation to pay for the completion of a construction project) such entities are reluctant to put their depositors' or policyholders' funds at the kind of risk involved in posting a bail bond. Bail bond agents, on the other hand, are usually in the business to cater to criminal defendants, often securing their customers' release in just a few hours.