Alternative Writ
ALTERNATIVE WRIT
An order, issued originally by the king in England but more recently by a court, commanding a personto do a specific thing or to appear and explain why he or she should not be compelled to do it.
Under the common law, the writs of prohibition and mandamus were alternative writs. In modern systems of court procedure, an order to show cause serves the same purpose. It commands a person to do something or come into court and show cause why he or she should not be made to do it.
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Alternate , al·ter·nate • v. / ˈôltərˌnāt/ [intr.] occur in turn repeatedly: the governorship alternated between the Republican and Democratic parties. ∎ [tr.] d… Writ , Writ
An order issued by a court requiring that something be done or giving authority to do a specified act.
The development of English common law rel… Court , COURT
A judicial tribunal established to administer justice. An entity in the government to which the administration of justice is delegated. In a br… Serjeant At Law , In Englishlegal history, an elite order of attorneys who had the exclusive privilege of arguing before the Court of Common Pleas and also supplied th… Mandamus , MANDAMUS
[Latin, We comand.] A writ or order that is issued from a court of superior jurisdiction that commands an inferior tribunal, corporation, mu… Equity (law) , Chancery in the UK, the Lord Chancellor's court, the highest court of judicature next to the House of Lords; but, since the Judicature Act of 1873 a…
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Alternative Writ