# Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-185: Sec. 52-185. Bond or recognizance for prosecution > Connecticut · Statutes · In force URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_CT_T52_C900_S52-185 ## Section - **Citation:** Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-185 - **Heading:** Sec. 52-185. Bond or recognizance for prosecution - **Jurisdiction:** Connecticut - **Kind:** Statutes - **Status:** In force - **Text as of:** August 14, 2026 - **Source:** Compiled text - **Location:** Connecticut Code / Title 52 / Chapter 900 / Section 52-185 ## Text (b) The recognizance may be taken in the following form: You, C.S., as principal, and E.C., as surety, acknowledge yourselves jointly and severally bound to J.L., in a recognizance (or, as the case may be, You, E.C., acknowledge yourself bound to J.L., in a recognizance) of .... dollars, that C.S. shall prosecute the action which he has now commenced against J.L. at the Superior court to be held at H. in and for the judicial district of H., on the .... Tuesday of ...., 20.. to full effect, and that he shall pay any costs for which judgment may be rendered against him thereon. Taken and acknowledged at H. on the .... day of ...., 20.., before me, J.W., Commissioner of the Superior Court. (c) If a bond or recognizance is required on any writ of summons or attachment, it may be noted in the writ in the following manner: E.C. of .... is recognized in $.... to prosecute, etc. (or words to that effect). (d) Any party failing to comply with an order of the judicial authority to give sufficient bond or recognizance may be nonsuited or defaulted. The person serving the writ may give bond. 1 R. 356. Liability of bondsman continues until final termination of the litigation. 7 C. 435. Death of plaintiff discharges bond. 9 C. 238. Liability of surety on bond. 14 C. 329; 30 C. 143, 144. The want of a bond is only matter of abatement. 16 C. 574. Is in itself a complete record, imports verity and is conclusive evidence of its own truth. 28 C. 534; 48 C. 380. Bond may be written out in full after suit is brought upon it. Id., 381. If nonresident plaintiff fails to give bond, the defect cannot be made good by bond afterward given in court. 51 C. 327. Ordinary bond for costs not required where replevin bond is given. 54 C. 48. Bond for costs not essential on application for an alternative writ of mandamus; failure to give bond waived by appearance. 67 C. 365, 366. Bond of surety company may be accepted. 70 C. 558. Bondsman's undertaking is that of surety, although plaintiff is not formally joined as principal. Id., 559, 560. Bond of $140 to answer all damages, etc., held sufficient; memorandum de bond at foot of injunction writ, held a compliance with statute. 73 C. 541. Mistake in memo. 74 C. 170. Of practice in general; applies to writ of error; effect of noting bond under section. 75 C. 652. Taking is ministerial act. 77 C. 184. Discretion of court as to amount. 82 C. 1. When statute applies to mandamus. 90 C. 639; 91 C. 114. Temporary residence in another state does not make one a nonresident. 92 C. 345. Statute applies only to process in actions in which costs are taxable; not to habeas corpus. 113 C. 739. Cited. Id., 772; 166 C. 174; 173 C. 408; 191 C. 201. Trial court is authorized to exercise its discretion to waive recognizance bond requirement outright or to significantly reduce the amount of the bond for an indigent inmate upon a proper showing of the inmate's indigency and inability to find another financially responsible person willing to enter into a recognizance bond on his or her behalf. 163 CA 337; judgment affirmed on alternate grounds, see 328 C. 248. History and review of section. 3 CS 434. Recognizance or certificate of financial responsibility is a condition precedent to validity of writ. 4 CS 279. Cited. 6 CS 156. Applicability in divorce actions. 7 CS 88. Cited. 8 CS 398. Meaning of “substantial” discussed. 13 CS 13. Cited. Id., 441. Court cannot waive bond even in the case of an indigent plaintiff. 36 CS 37. Where addresses of two of three plaintiffs were lacking, but subscribing authority certified as to plaintiff's financial responsibility, plea in abatement by defendant upon grounds the two plaintiffs might be nonresidents was overruled. 5 Conn. Cir. Ct. 235. ## Nearby sections - [Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-185 Sec. 52-185. Bond or recognizance for prosecution.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_CT_T52_C900_S52-185.md) - [Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-189 Sec. 52-189. Surety company bond acceptable.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_CT_T52_C900_S52-189.md) - [Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-190a Sec. 52-190a. Prior reasonable inquiry and certificate of good faith required in negligence action against a health care provider. Ninety-day extension of statute of limitations.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_CT_T52_C900_S52-190a.md) - [Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-190c Sec. 52-190c. Mandatory mediation for negligence action against health care provider. Stipulation by mediator and parties. Rules.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_CT_T52_C900_S52-190c.md) - [Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-191c Sec. 52-191c. Precedence of actions involving terminally ill persons.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_CT_T52_C900_S52-191c.md) - [Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-192 Sec. 52-192. Precedence of other cases in order of trial.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_CT_T52_C900_S52-192.md) - [Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-192a Sec. 52-192a. Offer of compromise by plaintiff. Acceptance by defendant. Amount and computation of interest.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_CT_T52_C900_S52-192a.md) - [Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-193 Sec. 52-193. Offer of compromise by defendant.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_CT_T52_C900_S52-193.md) - [Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-194 Sec. 52-194. Acceptance of defendant's offer of compromise.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_CT_T52_C900_S52-194.md) - [Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-195 Sec. 52-195. Effect of failure to accept defendant's offer of compromise.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_CT_T52_C900_S52-195.md) - [Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-195a Sec. 52-195a. (Formerly Sec. 52-256). Unliquidated damages; tender.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_CT_T52_C900_S52-195a.md) - [Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-195c Sec. 52-195c. Time period for payment of settlement amount.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_CT_T52_C900_S52-195c.md) - [Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-196 Sec. 52-196. Motion to continue or postpone.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_CT_T52_C900_S52-196.md) - [Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-196a Sec. 52-196a. Filing of special motion to dismiss based on exercise of certain state or federal constitutional rights in connection with matter of public concern. Court procedure.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_CT_T52_C900_S52-196a.md) --- Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_CT_T52_C900_S52-185. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.