recognisance n : (law) a security entered into before a court with a condition to perform some act required by law; on failure to perform that act a sum is forfeited [syn: recognizance]

Recognizance \Re*cog"ni*zance\, n. [F. reconnaissance, OF. recognoissance, fr. recognoissant, p. pr. of recognoistre to recognize, F. reconna[^i]tre, fr. L. recognoscere; pref. re- re- + cognoscere to know. See Cognizance, Know, and cf. Recognize, Reconnoissance.] [Written also recognisance.]
1. (Law) (a) 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 same or some other court, to keep the peace, or pay a debt. A recognizance differs from a bond, being witnessed by the record only, and not by the party's seal. (b) The verdict of a jury impaneled upon assize. --Cowell. Note: Among lawyers the g in this and the related words (except recognize) is usually silent.
2. A token; a symbol; a pledge; a badge. That recognizance and pledge of love Which I first gave her. --Shak.
3. Acknowledgment of a person or thing; avowal; profession; recognition.

In some common law nations, a recognizance is a conditional obligation undertaken by a person before a court. It is an obligation of record, entered into before a court or magistrate duly authorized, whereby the party bound acknowledges (recognizes) that he owes a personal debt to the state. A recognizance is subject to a "defeasance"; that is, the obligation will be avoided if person bound does some particular act, such as appearing in court on a particular day, or keeping the peace. The concept of a recognizance exists in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Canada and the United States.

Recognizances are most often encountered regarding bail in criminal cases. By filing a bail bond with the court, the defendant will usually be released from imprisonment pending a trial or appeal. If no bail has been set, the defendants are released "on their own recognizance". Release on recognizance is sometimes abbreviated as RoR, or, particularly in the United States, OR.

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