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HRS §804-1

What bail means and who signs it

Bail is a written promise signed by the defendant and a surety to show up in court and follow the court's decision. This section only defines bail; it does not set amounts or rules for release.

courts

The statute, as written — Bail defined

Bail, or the giving of bail, is the signing of the recognizance by the defendant and the defendant's surety or sureties, conditioned for the appearance of the defendant at the session of a court of competent jurisdiction to be named in the condition, and to abide by the judgment of the court. [PC 1869, c 50, §1; am L 1917, c 149, §1; RL 1925, §3977; RL 1935, §5430; RL 1945, §10731; RL 1955, §256-1; HRS §709-1; ren L 1972, c 9, pt of §1; am L 1980, c 50, §4; gen ch 1985; am L 1987, c 139, §4]
Read the official text at capitol.hawaii.gov ↗as published Jan 6, 2026our copy taken Aug 20, 2026

LawTrove is not legal advice. The summary above is a computer-generated restatement — the authoritative text is the official version linked above.