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WRIT
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I. (noun)
Sense 1
Meaning:
(law) a legal document issued by a court or judicial officer
Synonyms:
judicial writ; writ
Classified under:
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents
Hypernyms ("writ" is a kind of...):
instrument; legal document; legal instrument; official document ((law) a document that states some contractual relationship or grants some right)
Domain category:
jurisprudence; law (the collection of rules imposed by authority)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "writ"):
subpoena duces tecum (a writ issued by a court at the request of one of the parties to a suit; it requires a witness to bring to court or to a deposition any relevant documents under the witness's control)
subpoena; subpoena ad testificandum (a writ issued by court authority to compel the attendance of a witness at a judicial proceeding; disobedience may be punishable as a contempt of court)
process; summons (a writ issued by authority of law; usually compels the defendant's attendance in a civil suit; failure to appear results in a default judgment against the defendant)
writ of right (a writ ordering that land be restored to its rightful owner)
writ of prohibition (a judicial writ from a higher court ordering a lower court not to exercise jurisdiction in a particular case)
writ of error (a judicial writ from an appellate court ordering the court of record to produce the records of trial)
writ of election (a writ ordering the holding of an election)
writ of detinue (a writ ordering the release of goods that have been unlawfully detained)
sequestration (a writ that authorizes the seizure of property)
scire facias (a judicial writ based on some record and requiring the party against whom it is brought to show cause why the record should not be enforced or annulled)
fieri facias (a writ ordering a levy on the belongings of a debtor to satisfy the debt)
attachment (a writ authorizing the seizure of property that may be needed for the payment of a judgment in a judicial proceeding)
mandamus; writ of mandamus (an extraordinary writ commanding an official to perform a ministerial act that the law recognizes as an absolute duty and not a matter for the official's discretion; used only when all other judicial remedies fail)
venire facias (a judicial writ ordering a sheriff to summon people for jury duty)
habeas corpus; writ of habeas corpus (a writ ordering a prisoner to be brought before a judge)
certiorari; writ of certiorari (a common law writ issued by a superior court to one of inferior jurisdiction demanding the record of a particular case)
assize (an ancient writ issued by a court of assize to the sheriff for the recovery of property)
warrant (a writ from a court commanding police to perform specified acts)
court order (a writ issued by a court of law requiring a person to do something or to refrain from doing something)
