§ 135.253 Waiver of appearance at trial as release condition prohibited

If you're released while waiting for trial, the court cannot make you give up your right to show up in person at trial as a condition of that release. In other words, the judge can't say "you can be released, but only if you agree not to attend your own trial."

This also means the paperwork for your release, called a release agreement, cannot include any language that tries to take away your right to appear at trial. If someone tries to put that kind of condition in your release terms, it's not allowed under this law.

This protects your right to be present at your own trial. Being released from custody before trial should never come at the cost of losing that right.