Whenever a person is imprisoned or detained in custody on a criminal charge, for want of bail, such person is entitled to a writ of habeas corpus for the purpose of giving bail, upon averring that fact in such person’s petition, without alleging that the person is confined illegally.

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Terms Used In North Dakota Code 32-22-20

  • Bail: Security given for the release of a criminal defendant or witness from legal custody (usually in the form of money) to secure his/her appearance on the day and time appointed.
  • Habeas corpus: A writ that is usually used to bring a prisoner before the court to determine the legality of his imprisonment. It may also be used to bring a person in custody before the court to give testimony, or to be prosecuted.
  • Person: means an individual, organization, government, political subdivision, or government agency or instrumentality. See North Dakota Code 1-01-49
  • Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.
  • Writ: means an order or precept in writing, issued in the name of the state or of a court or judicial officer. See North Dakota Code 1-01-49

Any judge in or out of the court in which the judge is authorized to act may take an undertaking of bail from any person who has been committed on a criminal charge, when brought before the judge on a writ of habeas corpus, as in other cases, if the offense is bailable, and file the undertaking in the proper court.