MITTIMUS

A court order directing a sheriff or other police officer to escort a convict to a prison.

A mittimus is a written document. It can command a jailer to safely keep a felon until he or she can be transferred to a prison. A mittimus also refers to the transcript of the conviction and sentencing stages, which is duly certified by a clerk of court.

mittimus (leg.) warrant to the keeper of a prison to hold the person sent. XV. — L., ‘we send’, the first word of the writ; 1st pers. pl. pres. ind. of mittere (see MISSION).