Writ Of Assistance Definition In King
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A writ is just another word for a court order. The Writs of Assistance were court orders that enabled British soldiers to carry out searches of colonial homes and businesses without just cause or specific substantiation. The Writs of Assistance played a major role in the colonists' dissatisfaction with England.
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.
Writs of assistance gave the King's men – customs officials generally, but not exclusively – carte blanche to search the homes, papers and belongings of anyone. They permitted officials to “enter and go into any House, Warehouse, Shop, Cellar or other Place” to seize contraband goods.
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".
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.
The writ is served by the U.S. Marshal or other person, presumably a law enforcement officer, specially appointed by the court pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 4.1(a).
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.
