Writ

A judicial order. A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act. A mandatory precept issued by the authority, and in the name of the sovereign or the state, for the purpose of compelling the defendant to do something therein mentioned.

It is issued by a court or other competent jurisdiction, and is return-able to the same. It is to be under seal and tested by the proper officer, and is directed to the sheriff, or other officer lawfully authorized to execute the same. Writs are divided into, 1. Original. 2. Of mesne process. 3. Of execution. There are several kinds of writs.
   

This entry contains material from Bouvier's Legal Dictionary, a work published in the 1850's.

WRIT, ORIGINAL - English law. An original writ is a mandatory letter issuing out of the court of chancery under the great seal and in a king's name, directed to the sheriff of the county where the injury is alleged to have been committed, containing a summary statement of the cause of complaint, and requiring him in most cases, to command the defendant to satisy the claim; and, on his failure to comply, then to summon him to appear in one of the superior courts of common law, there to account for his non-compliance. In some cases, however, it omits the former alternative, and requires the sheriff simply to enforce the appearance.
   

This entry contains material from Bouvier's Legal Dictionary, a work published in the 1850's.

An official court document, signed by a judge or bearing an official court seal, which commands the person to whom it is addressed, to do something specific. - (read more on Writ)
  

A legal order issued by an authority and in the name of the state tocompel a person to do something therein mentioned. It is issued by a court orother competent tribunal, and is directed to the sheriff or other officerauthorized to execute it. In every case the writ itself contains directions fordoing what is required.