Scire facias

Scire facias

In English law, a writ of "scire facias" (from the Latin meaning "to cause to be known") was a writ founded upon some judicial record directing the sheriff to make the record known ("scire facias") to a specified party, and requiring that defendant to show cause why the party bringing the writ should not be able to cite that record in his own interest, or why, in the case of letters patent and grants, the record should not be annulled and vacated. In the twenty-first century, there is some speculation as to whether the writ has an application in the law of the United States.

History

The Writ of "Scire Facias" was created in 1285 during the 13th year of the reign of Edward I by the English Parliament in the Second Statute of Westminster. 1 Statutes of England, p.109. Robert Burnell (?-1292) was Lord Chancellor. The Writ of "Quo Warranto" was created during this same period. The Writ of "Scire Facias" "is in nature a bill in Chancery." M. Bacon, Abridgement of the Law, Vol. 8, "Scire Facias", at 620 (rev.ed. 1852); W. Blackstone, Commentaries, Vol.III, at *260 ("When the Crown hath unadvisedly granted any thing by letters patent, which ought not to be granted, or where the patentee hath done an act that amounts to a forfeiture of the grant, the remedy to repeal the patent is by writ of "scire facias" in chancery").

Procedure

Proceedings "in scire facias" were regarded as a form of action, and the defendant could plead his defense as in an action. [Anon.] (1911) " [http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Scire_Facias Scire facias] ", "Encyclopaedia Britannica"] They were analogous to "quo warranto" proceedings. cite book | author=Baker, J. H. | authorlink=John Baker (legal historian) | title=An Introduction to English Legal History | edition=4th ed. | pages="p."145 | location=London | publisher=Butterworths | id=ISBN 0-406-93053-8 | year=2002 ]

In 1684, the royal charter of the Massachusetts Bay Colony was rescinded by a writ of "scire facias" for the Colony's interference with the royal prerogative in founding Harvard College and other matters. [ cite book | title=The Founding of New England | authorlink=James Truslow Adams | author=Adams, J. T. | pages=Ch.15 "Loss of the Massachusetts Charter" | url=http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Founding_of_New_England/XV | year=1921 | publisher=Atlantic Monthly Press | location=Boston ]

By the beginning of the twentieth century, the writ was of little practical importance. Its principal uses were to compel the appearance of corporations aggregate in revenue suits, and to enforce judgments against shareholders in companies regulated by the Companies Clauses Act 1845, or similar private acts, and against garnishees in proceedings in foreign attachment in the Lord Mayor's Court. [ cite book | title=A Treatise upon the Customary Law of Foreign Attachment: And the Practice of the Mayor's Court of the City of London | url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&id=c400AAAAIAAJ&dq=foreign+attachment+brandon&printsec=frontcover&source=web&ots=KTUU8iJ2cC&sig=t19XRCXk7f88kfdw0FZY4ZO4xvU | author=Brandon, W. | year=1861 | publisher=Butterworths | location=London | pages="pp"73-103 (Google Books)] It was not used in Scottish law.

Proceedings by "scire facias" to repeal letters patent for inventions were abolished by the Patents, Designs and Trademarks Act 1883, and a petition to the court substituted.

The writ was abolished on 1 January 1948 by the Crown Proceedings Act 1947. [ [http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1947/pdf/ukpga_19470044_en.pdf Crown Proceedings Act 1947] ] , s.23/ Sch.1(3)]

U.S. significance

Some American legal scholars have suggested that impeachment may not be the sole method to remove a federal judge from office, pointing to "scire facias" as an alternative. [ cite journal | author=Saikrishna Prakash & Steven D. Smith | title=How to remove a Federal Judge | url=http://yalelawjournal.org/116/1/72_saikrishna_prakash_steven_d_smith.html | volume=116 | journal=Yale Law Journal | pages=72 | year=2006 ] This is not a widely-held view, however.Fact|date=March 2008

Under the law of some states, Texas for example, an action in scire facias may be used to revive a dormant judgment if brought in a timely fashion. An action on debt, reciting that the dormant judgment remains unpaid, may be used for the same purpose. See Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code Section 31.006.

References

Bibliography


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • scire facias — sci·re fa·ci·as / sī rē fā shē əs, shəs, shē ˌas; skē rā fä kē ˌäs/ n [Medieval Latin, you should cause to know] 1: a judicial writ founded upon some matter of record and requiring the party proceeded against to show cause why the record should… …   Law dictionary

  • Scire facias — Sci re fa ci*as (s[imac] r[ e] f[=a] sh[i^]*[a^]s). [L., do you cause to know.] (Law) A judicial writ, founded upon some record, and requiring the party proceeded against to show cause why the party bringing it should not have advantage of such… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • scire facias — [sī′rē fā′shē as΄] n. [ME < L, that you cause to know] Law 1. a writ, founded on a record, requiring the person against whom it is issued to appear and show cause why the record should not be enforced or annulled 2. a proceeding begun by… …   English World dictionary

  • scire facias — /sayriy feysh(iy)as/ A judicial writ, founded upon some matter of record, such as a judgment or recognizance and requiring the person against whom it is brought to show cause why the party bringing it should not have advantage of such record, or… …   Black's law dictionary

  • scire facias — noun Etymology: Middle English, from Medieval Latin, you should cause to know Date: 15th century 1. a judicial writ founded on some matter of record and requiring the party proceeded against to show cause why the record should not be enforced,… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • scire facias — /suy ree fay shee as /; Lat. /skee rdde fah kee ahs /, Law. 1. a writ requiring the party against whom it is brought to show cause why a judgment, letters patent, etc., should not be executed, vacated, or annulled. 2. a judicial proceeding… …   Universalium

  • scire facias — A writ of statutory origin (13 Edward I, chapter 45) used both as an original writ to obtain a judgment where none has before existed and as a writ of execution or continuation of a judgment previously entered. 47 Am J1st Sc F §§ 3, 4. A writ… …   Ballentine's law dictionary

  • scire facias quare restitutionem non — /sayriy feysh(iy)as kweriy restat(y)uwshiy6wnam non/ This writ lies where execution on a judgment has been levied, but the money has not been paid over to the plaintiff, and the judgment is afterwards reversed in error or on appeal; in such a… …   Black's law dictionary

  • scire facias — document which requires a party to show cause as to why a judgment should not be carried out (Latin) …   English contemporary dictionary

  • scire facias — [ˌsʌɪri: feɪʃɪas] noun US Law a writ requiring a person to show why a judgement regarding a record or patent should not be enforced or annulled. Origin L., lit. let (the person) know …   English new terms dictionary

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