A personal appearance bond is a type of bond used by some courts. It may have a variety of conditions associated with it including the signature and/or deposit by a surety. Some personal appearance bonds may not require a surety and may allow a person accused of a crime to be released on their own recognizance (sometimes referred to as “OR”) or to act as their own surety.
The bail process is a critically important step in a criminal case. It is the way that a person accused of a crime is released from custody during the case. A person who is not in custody during the case can continue to work/attend school, take care of family, and is better able to make decisions about the case without the stress of being incarcerated. A person who is not in custody is also better able to assist in the preparation of the defense. If you or a loved one is facing criminal charges while in custody, it is important to ensure that you understand the conditions of the bond and that you are actively working towards pretrial release.