When any question of law is reserved in case of a felony and it shall be made known to the court that the defendant desires to take an appeal to the appropriate appellate court, judgment must be entered against the defendant, but execution thereof must be stayed pending the appeal and the defendant held in custody. If the sentence is for a term not exceeding 20 years, the judge must direct the clerk of the court in which the conviction is had to admit the defendant to bail in a sum to be fixed by the judge, with sufficient surety, conditioned upon his appearance at the court, from time to time thereafter, as fixed by the court to abide such judgement as may be entered on the appeal. All proceedings for forfeiture of bail and arrest under this section shall be had and conducted as is otherwise provided in this code for such proceedings.
Ala. Code § 12-22-170 (1975)