The term “bondwoman” is not commonly used in the bail bond industry. However, it is possible that the term is being used as a gender-specific alternative to “bondsman” or “bail bondsman,” which refers to a professional who provides bail bonds to defendants who cannot afford to pay their full bail amount.

Generally, a bondsman or bail bondsman is responsible for posting the total amount of bail with the court on behalf of a defendant in exchange for a non-refundable fee (usually around 10% of the full bail amount). By posting the bail bond, the defendant can be released from jail while they await their trial.

It’s worth noting that the bail bond industry has historically been male-dominated, and women are still underrepresented today. However, many women work as bail bond agents, and “bondwomen” may refer to female bail bond agents.