Chap. 327.—An ACT to amend and re-enact section 4973 of the Code of Vir-
ginia, in relation to recognizances in criminal cases. [H B 429]

Approved March 24, 1926.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That sec-
tion forty-nine hundred and seventy-three of the Code of Virginia, be
amended and re-enacted so as to read as follows:

Section 4973. How recognizances payable; penalty and condi-
tion; when surety required; when dispensed with; what order of court
to State-—Recognizances in criminal cases shall be payable to the
Commonwealth of Virginia. Every recognizance under this chapter
or under chapter one hundred and eighty-nine and the chapters fol-
lowing to one hundred and ninety-seven, inclusive, shall be in such
sum as the court or officer requiring it may direct. If it be to answer
for a misdemeanor or if required of a witness it shall be with or with-
out security as the court or officer may direct; but in all other cases
shall be with security deemed sufficient by the court or officer taking
it. The condition, when it is taken of a person charged with a crimi-
nal offense shall be that he appear before the court, judge, or justice
before whom the proceedings on such charge will be at such time or
times as may be prescribed by the court or officer taking it, and at
any time or times to which the proceedings may be continued or
further heard, and before any court, judge or justice thereafter having
or holding any proceedings in connection with the said charge, to
answer for the offense with which he is charged, the said recognizance
remaining in full force and effect until the charge is finally disposed
of or until it is-declared void by order of a competent court. And
when it is taken of a witness in a case against any such person shall
be that he so appear to give evidence on such charge, and in either
case shall be that the person or witness shall not depart thence without
the leave of said court, judge, or justice; when taken for any other
purpose than to appear so to answer or give evidence it shall be with
condition that the person of whom it is taken shall keep the peace
and be of good behavior for such time not exceeding one year as the
court or officer requiring it may direct; and if such court or officer
direct, it may, when taken of a person so charged, be with condition for
so keeping the peace and being of good behavior in addition to the
other conditions of his recognizance. And when such recognizance is
taken by a court of a person to answer a charge or of a witness to give
evidence it shall be sufficient for the order of the court taking said
recognizance to state that the party or parties recognized were duly
recognized in such sum as the court may have directed with such surety
as the court may have accepted for his or their appearance before
such court at such time as may have been prescribed by the court to
answer for the offense with which such person’is charged or to give
evidence, as the case may be.