We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Finance

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What Is Recognizance?

Mary McMahon
By
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 9,040
Share

A recognizance is an acknowledgment of a legal obligation, where a person appears in court and pledges to perform or not perform a particular task. The clerk enters the recognizance into the record, and it becomes legally binding. A very common example is the release on recognizance, where a court agrees to release an accused party from custody without bail as long as the defendant agrees to return to court for a hearing.

In a recognizance, the subject indicates that he understands the nature of a legal obligation to the court. He does not have to sign any paperwork or documentation, instead appearing in court during a hearing to show that he understands the conditions set by the court. The record of the court will provide information about the hearing, and this will be used in the future if a problem develops, like an accused person failing to return to court for the actual trial.

The subject of a recognizance is making a pledge to the court to fulfill a responsibility, and the court offers a benefit, such as releasing an accused party without bail. One could consider this a debt to the court, where the subject appears in court to show that she understands the nature of the debt and is prepared to discharge it in the way set out by the court, such as attending a hearing, ceasing a particular activity, or paying a fine.

Not all legal systems accept the recognizance. If it is an option in a given court, the accused will be provided with information about it, and his lawyer may work with the court to achieve a satisfactory arrangement. This is most common with minor crimes where the stakes are low, and the court is confident that the accused will fulfill any legal obligations set out by the court. In a high profile case, bail and other measures might be required to compel the accused to abide by the court's stipulations.

This term occasionally crops up in court reports, in regions where newspapers provide information on court activities, and it may appear in other media when a court case is of particular interest. Parties released on recognizance who fail to show up for their trials can be pursued by law enforcement and brought to court. The court may assess fines and other penalties for flouting the order of the court, and the defendant is unlikely to be released on recognizance again.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Mary McMahon
By Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a WiseGeek researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a...

Learn more
Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/what-is-recognizance.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.