Does an accused have to deposit money with the court to get out on bail?

In some cases, the accused will have to deposit money with the court in order to get out on bail. If the accused:

• does not live in Ontario
• or lives 200 km or more from the place they are in jail;

it is likely that they will need to deposit cash with the court in order to get out on bail.

However, in most courthouses, it is more common for the accused and/or his or her surety to promise an amount of money to the court without actually depositing it. This promise of money is called a “recognizance.” If the accused breaks one of his or her bail conditions, or doesn’t show up to court when they’re supposed to, the accused and/or his or her surety can lose some or all of the money they promised to the court by signing the recognizance.