Legal Definitions - bounty hunter

A bounty hunter is someone who is paid to capture a person or an animal. In the legal sense, a bounty hunter is hired to track down criminal defendants who have skipped bail and turn them in. They are usually hired by a bail-bond company to find a criminal defendant who has failed to appear in court.

Historically, bounty hunters have been given many powers to bring fugitives to justice. For example, they can go after a fugitive in another state, arrest a fugitive at any time, and enter a fugitive's house to capture them without a warrant. However, they do not have the same protections as state agents like police officers because they are independent contractors and not agents of the state.

For example, if someone is arrested for a crime and is released on bail, but then fails to show up for their court date, a bail-bond company may hire a bounty hunter to find and capture the person. The bounty hunter will receive a fee for their services.