Legal Definitions - bailor

A bailor is an individual or entity who temporarily transfers possession of their personal property to another party, known as a bailee, for a specific purpose. Crucially, the bailor retains full ownership of the property; only the physical control is handed over. This arrangement, called a bailment, is typically for services like repair, safekeeping, or transportation. The bailor expects the bailee to handle the property with care and return it as agreed.

There is also a distinct legal context where a bailor refers to a person who provides money or other security (known as bail) to a court to ensure a criminal defendant's appearance in future legal proceedings, allowing the defendant to be released from custody.

• Leaving clothes at a dry cleaner: When you drop off a suit at a dry cleaning service, you are the bailor. You temporarily entrust your suit to the dry cleaner (the bailee) for the specific purpose of cleaning it. You still own the suit, but the dry cleaner has possession of it until you pick it up.
• Using a valet parking service: If you hand over your car keys to a valet attendant at a restaurant, you act as the bailor. You are giving the valet (the bailee) temporary possession and control of your vehicle so they can park it safely for you. You retain ownership of the car, and it will be returned to you when you are ready to leave.
• Boarding a pet at a kennel: When you take your dog to a professional kennel while you are on vacation, you are the bailor. You are entrusting your pet (considered personal property in this legal context) to the kennel staff (the bailee) for temporary care and safekeeping. You remain the dog's owner, and the kennel is responsible for its well-being until you retrieve it.
• A parent posting bail for their child: If a parent provides the necessary funds to a court to secure their child's release from jail after an arrest, the parent is acting as a bailor in this specific context. They are providing the bail money as a guarantee that their child, the defendant, will appear for all required court dates.