What does it mean to issue a writ?

• Entertainment & Pop Culture
• Geography & Travel
• Health & Medicine
• Lifestyles & Social Issues
• Literature
• Philosophy & Religion
• Politics, Law & Government
• Science
• Sports & Recreation
• Technology
• Visual Arts
• World History

• On This Day in History
• Quizzes
• Podcasts
• Dictionary
• Biographies
• Summaries
• Top Questions
• Week In Review
• Infographics
• Demystified
• Lists
• #WTFact
• Companions
• Image Galleries
• Spotlight
• The Forum
• One Good Fact

• Entertainment & Pop Culture
• Geography & Travel
• Health & Medicine
• Lifestyles & Social Issues
• Literature
• Philosophy & Religion
• Politics, Law & Government
• Science
• Sports & Recreation
• Technology
• Visual Arts
• World History

• Britannica Classics
  Check out these retro videos from Encyclopedia Britannica’s archives.
• Britannica Explains
  In these videos, Britannica explains a variety of topics and answers frequently asked questions.
• Demystified Videos
  In Demystified, Britannica has all the answers to your burning questions.
• #WTFact Videos
  In #WTFact Britannica shares some of the most bizarre facts we can find.
• This Time in History
  In these videos, find out what happened this month (or any month!) in history.

• Student Portal
  Britannica is the ultimate student resource for key school subjects like history, government, literature, and more.
• COVID-19 Portal
  While this global health crisis continues to evolve, it can be useful to look to past pandemics to better understand how to respond today.
• 100 Women
  Britannica celebrates the centennial of the Nineteenth Amendment, highlighting suffragists and history-making politicians.
• Britannica Beyond
  We’ve created a new place where questions are at the center of learning. Go ahead. Ask. We won’t mind.
• Saving Earth
  Britannica Presents Earth’s To-Do List for the 21st Century. Learn about the major environmental problems facing our planet and what can be done about them!
• SpaceNext50
  Britannica presents SpaceNext50, From the race to the Moon to space stewardship, we explore a wide range of subjects that feed our curiosity about space!

If you are ever served with a writ, then you better do what it says. A writ is a written document issuing a legal order.

The word writ has been around since before the twelfth century and was first used to describe a written document needed to have a case heard at the royal courts of England during the Middle Ages. Nowadays, the king is most likely no longer involved, but this word still refers to a legal document issued by a court of law. A writ contains a written order instructing someone to do something or to stop doing something. If you ever need to give out a writ, remember that the verb to serve is typically used to describe the issuing of a writ — as in “Tony was served with a writ on Monday.”

Definitions of writ

1. noun

   (law) a legal document issued by a court or judicial officer

   synonyms: judicial writ

   see moresee less

   types:show 34 types...hide 34 types... court order

   a writ issued by a court of law requiring a person to do something or to refrain from doing something

   warrant

   a writ from a court commanding police to perform specified acts

   assize

   an ancient writ issued by a court of assize to the sheriff for the recovery of property

   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

   habeas corpus, writ of habeas corpus

   a writ ordering a prisoner to be brought before a judge

   venire facias

   a judicial writ ordering a sheriff to summon people for jury duty

   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

   attachment

   a writ authorizing the seizure of property that may be needed for the payment of a judgment in a judicial proceeding

   fieri facias

   a writ ordering a levy on the belongings of a debtor to satisfy the debt

   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

   sequestration

   a writ that authorizes the seizure of property

   writ of detinue

   a writ ordering the release of goods that have been unlawfully detained

   writ of election

   a writ ordering the holding of an election

   writ of error

   a judicial writ from an appellate court ordering the court of record to produce the records of trial

   writ of prohibition

   a judicial writ from a higher court ordering a lower court not to exercise jurisdiction in a particular case

   writ of right

   a writ ordering that land be restored to its rightful owner

   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

   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

   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

   divestiture

   an order to an offending party to rid itself of property; it has the purpose of depriving the defendant of the gains of wrongful behavior

   search warrant

   a warrant authorizing law enforcement officials to search for objects or people involved in the commission of a crime and to produce them in court; the warrant describes the locations where the officials may search

   arrest warrant, bench warrant

   a warrant authorizing law enforcement officials to apprehend an offender and bring that person to court

   death warrant

   a warrant to execute the death sentence

   cachet, lettre de cachet

   a warrant formerly issued by a French king who could warrant imprisonment or death in a signed letter under his seal

   reprieve

   a warrant granting postponement (usually to postpone the execution of the death sentence)

   commutation

   a warrant substituting a lesser punishment for a greater one

   amnesty, pardon

   a warrant granting release from punishment for an offense

   execution, writ of execution

   a routine court order that attempts to enforce the judgment that has been granted to a plaintiff by authorizing a sheriff to carry it out

   gag order

   a court order restricting information or comment by the participants involved in a lawsuit

   garnishment

   a court order to an employer to withhold all or part of an employee's wages and to send the money to the court or to the person who won a lawsuit against the employee

   interdict, interdiction

   a court order prohibiting a party from doing a certain activity

   citation

   a summons that commands the appearance of a party at a proceeding

   monition, process of monition

   a summons issued after the filing of a libel or claim directing all parties concerned to show cause why the judgment asked for should not be granted

   ticket

   a summons issued to an offender (especially to someone who violates a traffic regulation)

   type of: instrument, legal document, legal instrument, official document

   (law) a document that states some contractual relationship or grants some right

Sign up now (it’s free!)

Whether you’re a teacher or a learner, Vocabulary.com can put you or your class on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement.

Get started

What is the meaning of issuance of the writ?

What happens after writ of summons?

What are the 5 writs and their meaning?

Can I ignore a writ of summons?