Writs

A writ is a formal written order issued by a court or other competent authority that commands a person to do or refrain from doing a specific act. In the history of common law, writs were the principal mechanism by which a plaintiff began a legal action and by which courts exercised jurisdiction. The medieval English writ system developed a large catalog of specialized commands, each tied to a particular type of claim or procedural posture. Obtaining the correct writ required navigating the Chancery and selecting the appropriate form, which in turn determined the court’s jurisdiction and the legal remedy available.

Over time, many writs were replaced by standardized procedures and pleading forms as civil procedure was reformulated. In England and Wales, the rise of modern procedural rules reduced the use of traditional writs for ordinary civil actions; however, writs retained specialized roles in contemporary practice. Today, writs are most commonly associated with particular remedies or jurisdictional controls. The major categories include writs used to challenge or control government action (such as habeas corpus, mandamus, prohibition, and certiorari) and writs used to enforce or compel compliance with court orders (such as writs of execution, attachment, and garnishment). Quo warranto, another historic writ, was used to test the right to hold public office.

In many jurisdictions, the term writ remains a traditional label for these procedures, even as modern courts have adopted statutory and rule-based mechanisms that supplant the old system for most applications. The precise availability and form of writs vary by country and legal tradition, but they continue to play a recognizable role in safeguarding rights and regulating government and judicial authority.