Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, Eastern District, Recognizance Papers, Folder 1: 1757-1758, 1780, 1782, 1783, 1788, 1792 (see image 6 for detailed listing of contents); Folder 2: 1754-1759, 1761-1765, 1767-1770 Debts Owed Promises (see image 29 for detailed listing of contents); Folder 3: 1770-1772, 1774, 1776-1781 Court Ordered Payments and Bonds (see images 110-111 for detailed listing of contents); Folder 4: 1782-1785 (see images 144-146 for detailed listing of contents); Folder 5: 1786-1788 (see images 357-358 for detailed listing of contents); Folder 6: 1788-1789 (see images 482-483 for detailed listing of contents); and Folder 7: 1790-1792 (see images 611-612 for detailed listing of contents), This Digital Object is provided in a collection that is included in POWER LIBRARY: Pennsylvania Photos and Documents, which is funded by the Office of Commonwealth Libraries of Pennsylvania/Pennsylvania Department of Education., Arranged chronologically by date of papers. GBP represents British Pounds Sterling. A recognizance is an obligation of record, which a party enters into before some court of record or magistrate, with a condition to perform some act. Failing to do so, the party (recognizor) is obliged to pay a specific sum to the court or to the other party involved in the case. The object of a recognizance is generally to secure the presence of a defendant to perform or suffer the judgment of the court. Types of recognizance papers filed include writs of error, writs returned to the court, writs for appearance, writs sur certiorari, writs for peace and good behavior, and writs for bail. Information provided includes name of plaintiff, name and residence of defendant, amount of recognizance, and duties required. Other documents are also found, such as distringas to nisi prius, exceptions to bail, orders of the court, and bonds. Of interest may be the final folder, which documents a United States Circuit Court (Third District) case, as well as one from within the Commonwealth involving a conspiracy charge.
