writ of error
- noun
- /rɪt əv ˈɛrər/
- Archaic
:
auto de error
- The lawyer filed a writ of error to challenge the lower court's decision on legal grounds.
Examples
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After reviewing the writ of error, the judges determined that the trial court had made significant errors in its ruling.
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A writ of error was granted, compelling the lower court to submit the trial records for review.
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Historically, a writ of error allowed cases to be re-examined for mistakes in legal procedure.
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The defense filed a writ of error to challenge the verdict in the appellate court.
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The lawyer filed a writ of error to challenge the decision.
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Have you ever heard of a writ of error being granted?
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The appellate court reviewed the writ of error submitted by the defendant to assess possible legal mistakes.
Synonyms
33
8.2
A formal written court order telling someone to do or not do something
3
9.9
An order from a higher court telling a lower court to send the case file for review
1
9.9
An order from a high court telling a lower court to send case papers for review
1
8.2
A document from a court that orders someone to do or stop something
Surface Forms
Morphology
The expression literally combines 'writ' (a legal document) with 'error' (a mistake), so a learner who knows both words would likely infer it is a legal document concerning an error. However, the precise procedural sense — an appellate order requiring the trial record for review of legal errors — is specialized legal knowledge and not fully predictable from the parts alone, so it is only partially transparent.
Etymology
Writ of error comes from old law where a writ was a written order and error meant a claimed mistake. So a writ of error is an order asking a higher court to look at the trial 'record' because someone says there was a 'mistake'.