bind over
When a judge makes a legal order saying you must behave yourself or come back to court, usually with a warning or a fine if you don't.
Meanings
(Legal) For a court to order a person to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for a specified period, usually under financial penalty for non-compliance.
"The magistrate bound him over to keep the peace for twelve months after the dispute with his neighbour."
(Legal) To order someone to appear before a higher court at a future date.
"The accused was bound over to appear at the Crown Court on the fifteenth of next month."
A legal term used mainly in British and Commonwealth English. 'Bound over to keep the peace' is a standard phrase. The person bound over must not re-offend or they face a penalty. Common in magistrates' court proceedings.
Commonly used with
Forms
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