Legal Definitions - cepi

Cepi is a historical Latin term meaning "I have taken." In historical legal practice, particularly in English common law, it was a formal declaration made by a sheriff or other law enforcement officer on a legal document called a writ (such as a capias writ). When a sheriff endorsed a writ with "cepi," it signified that they had successfully apprehended the person or taken possession of the property specified in the writ. It was essentially an official report confirming the successful execution of a court order involving the "taking" of a person or item.

• Example 1: Criminal Arrest

  After a lengthy investigation, Detective Miller obtained an arrest warrant for a suspect involved in a series of burglaries. Upon locating the suspect, Detective Miller successfully apprehended and detained them. In a historical context, the detective's report on the warrant would have been equivalent to a "cepi" declaration, indicating that the suspect had been "taken" into custody as ordered by the court.

• Example 2: Civil Detention for Contempt

  A judge issued a civil warrant for the arrest of a defendant who repeatedly failed to appear for court-ordered hearings regarding a debt collection case. A court bailiff was dispatched to execute the warrant. When the bailiff located the defendant and brought them before the court, their action of taking the defendant into custody to compel their appearance would have historically been noted as "cepi" on the warrant, signifying the successful "taking" of the person as mandated by the civil court.

• Example 3: Apprehension of a Fugitive

  A federal marshal was tasked with locating and apprehending a person who had violated their parole and fled the state. After tracking the individual across several jurisdictions, the marshal successfully located and detained the fugitive. The marshal's successful capture and return of the individual to custody directly reflects the historical meaning of "cepi," confirming that the person sought under legal authority had been "taken."