Simple English definitions for legal terms
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Term: Fieri facias
Definition: Fieri facias is a legal order that tells a sheriff to take someone's property and sell it to pay off their debts or taxes. The person who wants the property sold has to get the order from a court first. Then the sheriff can take the property and sell it to get the money owed.
fieri facias
Fieri facias (abbreviated fi.fa.) is a legal term that refers to a court order that allows a sheriff or other state officer to take control of a piece of property and sell it in order to pay off the owner's debt or tax obligations. The person seeking the property to be sold must obtain the writ from a court, and then the sheriff can begin the process of seizing the property.
Example 1: John owes $10,000 in back taxes to the state. The state obtains a writ of fieri facias, which allows the sheriff to seize John's car and sell it at auction to pay off the debt.
Example 2: Sarah owes $5,000 in credit card debt to a bank. The bank obtains a writ of fieri facias, which allows the sheriff to seize Sarah's jewelry and sell it at auction to pay off the debt.
Fieri facias is a legal tool that allows a creditor to collect on a debt by seizing and selling the debtor's property. The examples illustrate how a writ of fieri facias can be used to collect on different types of debts, such as taxes or credit card debt. In both cases, the sheriff is authorized to seize the debtor's property and sell it at auction to pay off the debt.