Section 5-101 - Release on personal recognizance. - Maryland Statutes

§ 5-101. Release on personal recognizance.
 

(a)  Construction of section.- This section shall be liberally construed to carry out the purpose of relying on criminal sanctions instead of financial loss to ensure the appearance of a defendant in a criminal case before verdict or pending a new trial. 

(b)  In general.-  

(1) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, if, from all the circumstances, the court believes that a minor or adult defendant in a criminal case will appear as required for trial before verdict or pending trial, the defendant may be released on personal recognizance. 

(2) A failure to appear as required by personal recognizance is subject to the penalties provided in § 5-211 of this title. 

(c)  Exceptions.- A defendant may not be released on personal recognizance if the defendant is charged with: 

(1) a crime listed in § 5-202(d) of this title after having been convicted of a crime listed in § 5-202(d) of this title; or 

(2) a crime punishable by death or life imprisonment without parole. 
 

[An. Code 1957, ch. 27, §§ 6161/2(d), 638A(a), (b), (c); 2001, ch. 10, § 2; ch. 35; 2002, ch. 19, § 1.]