An obligation of record, entered into before some court of record, or magistrate duly authorized, with condition to do some particular act; as to appear at the assizes, or criminal court, to keep the peace, to pay a debt, or the like. It resembles a bond, but differs from it in being an acknowledgment of a former debt upon record. 2 Bl. Comm. 341. See U. S. v. Insley (C. C.) 49 Fed. 778; State v. Walker. 50 N. II. 178: Crawford v. Vinton, 102 Mich 83, 02 N. W. 98S; State v. Grant. 10 Minn. 48 (Gil. 22); Longley v. Vose, 27 Me. 179; Coin, v. Emery. 2 Bin. (Pa.) 431. In criminal law, a person who has been found guilty of an offense may. In certain cases, be required to enter into a recognizance by which he binds himself to keep the peace for a certain period. Sweet. In the practice of several of the states, a recognizance is a species of bail-bond or security, given by the prisoner either on being bound over for trial or on his taking an appeal.
