Simple English definitions for legal terms
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A writ of proclamation is a legal order that tells the sheriff of a county to make three public announcements that someone is no longer protected by the law. This happens when someone is declared an outlaw, which means they have broken the law and are no longer allowed to be part of society. Outlaws are either people who have been sentenced by a court or people who are running away from the law. The writ of proclamation is an important step in the process of declaring someone an outlaw.
Definition: A writ issued at the time an exigent was issued, ordering the sheriff of the county of a defendant's residence to make three proclamations of outlawry in a public and notorious place a month before the outlawry is declared. This writ is used in legal proceedings to declare someone an outlaw, meaning they have been deprived of the benefit and protection of the law.
Example: If a person is accused of a crime and fails to appear in court, a writ of proclamation may be issued. The sheriff of the county where the person lives will be ordered to make three public proclamations of outlawry, giving the person a month to appear in court before they are officially declared an outlaw.
This example illustrates how a writ of proclamation is used in legal proceedings to give someone a chance to appear in court before being declared an outlaw.