Legal Definitions - V.E.

V.E. stands for VENDITIONI EXPONAS, which is a Latin phrase meaning "you expose for sale." In legal terms, it refers to a type of court order, or writ, issued to an officer of the court, such as a sheriff. This writ compels the officer to proceed with the sale of property that has already been seized under a previous court order (like a writ of execution) but has not yet been sold. It is typically issued when the initial attempt to sell the property was unsuccessful, or when there was a delay, and the court needs to re-authorize or direct the officer to complete the sale to satisfy a judgment.

Here are some examples to illustrate this concept:

• Example 1 (Business Debt): A small manufacturing company owes a significant amount to a supplier. The supplier sues and obtains a judgment. A sheriff seizes some of the company's machinery to satisfy the debt. However, due to a technicality or a lack of bidders at the initial auction, the machinery isn't sold. The supplier's attorney would then request a writ of VENDITIONI EXPONAS from the court, directing the sheriff to schedule and conduct a new sale of the seized machinery to pay off the judgment.

  Explanation: This illustrates how the writ compels the sale of already seized assets when an initial attempt fails, ensuring the judgment creditor can recover their funds.

• Example 2 (Personal Judgment): A landlord wins a judgment against a former tenant for unpaid rent and damages. The court issues a writ of execution, and the sheriff seizes the tenant's valuable antique furniture from storage. Before the scheduled auction, a procedural issue arises, perhaps a dispute over the proper notice period for the sale, causing a delay. To move forward, the landlord's lawyer would seek a VENDITIONI EXPONAS to instruct the sheriff to proceed with the sale of the furniture, resolving the procedural hold-up and allowing the landlord to recover the owed money.

  Explanation: Here, the writ addresses a procedural delay after seizure, ensuring the enforcement of the judgment through the sale of the seized property.

• Example 3 (Multiple Seized Items): A small business owner defaults on a loan, and the lender obtains a judgment. The sheriff seizes several items of value from the business, including a company vehicle and specialized tools. An initial sale is attempted for the vehicle, but it doesn't meet the minimum bid. The tools, however, were not included in the first sale attempt due to logistical reasons. The lender would then request a writ of VENDITIONI EXPONAS to compel the sheriff to conduct a new sale for the vehicle and to proceed with the sale of the specialized tools, ensuring all seized assets are liquidated to satisfy the judgment.

  Explanation: This demonstrates the writ's application when multiple items are seized, some of which failed to sell or were not included in an initial sale attempt, requiring a new directive for their disposition.