§15-21-20. Contesting of return; examination into imprisonment or detention; disposition of detainee on adjournment of examination; forfeiture of bail.

(a) The party on whose behalf a writ of habeas corpus is sued out may deny any of the facts stated in the return and allege any other facts which may be material in the case.

(b) In a summary way, the court or judge may examine into the cause of the imprisonment or detention, may hear the evidence adduced and may adjourn the examination from time to time as the circumstances of the case may require and, in the meantime, remand the party or commit him to the custody of the sheriff of the county or place him under such other custody as his age or other circumstances may require, or, if the character of the charge authorizes it, take bail from him in a sufficient amount for his appearance from day to day until judgment is given.

(c) If the party fails to appear, as required by his undertaking, an entry of forfeiture must be endorsed thereon, signed by the judge and returned to the circuit court of the county in which the examination is had; and the same proceedings must be thereon had in such court as if the undertaking had been taken in such court, the endorsement of forfeiture being presumptive evidence of that fact.

(Code 1852, §§728, 729; Code 1867, §§4279, 4280; Code 1876, §§4955, 4956; Code 1886, §§4779, 4780; Code 1896, §§4832, 4833; Code 1907, §§7027, 7028; Code 1923, §§4326, 4327; Code 1940, T. 15, §§22, 23.)