Actual thing, back when imprisonment for debt was still common. See e.g. Beers v Haughton, 34 US (9 Pet.) 329 (1835) (This was back when half the SCOTUS ops were in Latin and Olde English so I can't claim to fully understand it) bsky.app/profile/conn...
No, making a joke bsky.app/profile/isaa...
It looks like the writ at issue there required a judgment—so not quite bail.
(Not good but not quite “you only litigate the merits if you first pay bail”)
Bringing back debtor's gaol will make America great again.
Are you confusing Olde English with Law French? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_Fre...