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.

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: 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
  • Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.

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.