§ 12-13-1. Right to release pending trial on giving of recognizance. Every person who is held on any criminal process to answer to any indictment, information, or complaint against him or her shall be released upon giving recognizance with sufficient surety or sureties before a justice of the supreme or superior court or before a justice of the district court, when the complaint is pending in that court or the person is held to answer to that court, in the sum named in the process, if any has been named in it, and if none is named, then in any sum that the justice shall deem reasonable, to appear before the court where the indictment, information, or complaint is pending against him or her, or to which he or she may be bound over to appear, to answer to the indictment, information, or complaint, and to answer to it whenever called upon so to do, and abide the final order of the court, and in the meantime keep the peace and be of good behavior. Any justice may take the recognizance in any place within the state, and the recognizance shall be returned to the court to which the accused has recognized to appear.
History of Section. (G.L. 1896, ch. 285, § 14; C.P.A. 1905, § 1182; G.L. 1909, ch. 354, § 14; G.L. 1909, ch. 354, § 18; P.L. 1915, ch. 1261, § 1; G.L. 1923, ch. 407, § 18; G.L. 1938, ch. 625, § 18; G.L. 1956, § 12-13-1; P.L. 1969, ch. 239, § 20; P.L. 1972, ch. 265, § 1; P.L. 1974, ch. 118, § 12.)