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