A writ is a document or order that directs any form of action from a court. It provides directions from an entity with jurisdictional or administrative power to another party. Writs were developed as part of the English common law system and were primarily issued by Anglo-Saxon monarchs.
One example of a writ of assistance would be the Malcolm Affair. In this case, customs officials searched the home of Daniel Malcolm. However, Malcolm would not let them search a part of his cellar without the legal right to do so by threatening violence if they did because he believed they were acting illegally.
A writ of assistance is a written order (a writ) issued by a court instructing a law enforcement official, such as a sheriff or a tax collector, to perform a certain task. Historically, several types of writs have been called "writs of assistance".
Writ, in common law, order issued by a court in the name of a sovereign authority requiring the performance of a specific act. The most common modern writs are those, such as the summons, used to initiate an action.
Writs were developed over time as a way for authorities—legal and otherwise—to direct others to perform specific actions. This means that a modern-day writ provides an order from a higher to a lower court, from a court to an individual or other entity, or from a government agency to another party.
LAW. a legal document from a court which orders someone to do something or to not do something: issue/serve a writ The company served a writ on the newspaper for publishing false accusations. be served with a writ The author has been served with a writ which he will be contesting.
The writ is issued by the Clerk of the U.S. District or Bankruptcy Court, at the discretion of the judge, after judgment is rendered.
You can ignore a writ of summons, but that can have serious ramifications. For example, if you do not appear in court on the date of your summons, then the court may enforce penalties or legal processes.
Writ of assistance, in English and American colonial history, a general search warrant issued by superior provincial courts to assist the British government in enforcing trade and navigation laws.
A writ of assistance is a legal order issued by a court that allows an officer to enter and search any premises suspected of containing contraband. This writ was historically used in colonial America and was one of the acts that led to the American Revolution.