Legal Definitions - filazer

A filazer (also spelled filacer) was a historical court officer in England, specifically within the Courts of Common Pleas and King's Bench. Their primary duty was to file writs and other initial legal documents that commenced a lawsuit. They were responsible for the procedural steps involved in preparing and issuing these foundational legal processes, ensuring that cases were properly initiated and recorded. This office was abolished in the 19th century as part of judicial reforms.

Here are some examples illustrating the role of a filazer:

• Initiating a Civil Action: Imagine a merchant in 18th-century London wishing to sue a debtor for unpaid goods. To begin the legal process, the merchant's attorney would have prepared a writ, which then had to be officially filed with the court. The filazer for that specific court and county would have been the officer responsible for receiving and properly recording this initial writ, thereby formally commencing the lawsuit.

• Procedural Oversight: If a barrister in the Court of King's Bench needed to ensure that a particular legal action, such as a writ of capias (an order for arrest), was correctly issued and entered into the court's records, they would have interacted directly with the filazer. The filazer's role was to ensure these foundational documents were properly prepared, filed, and that the subsequent procedural steps were correctly initiated according to court rules.

• Geographic Jurisdiction: The office of filazer was often organized by county or circuit. For instance, if a landowner in Kent needed to file a writ concerning a property dispute, their legal representative would have sought out the filazer specifically assigned to the county of Kent within the relevant court. This specialization helped manage the volume of initial filings and ensured local procedural knowledge.