crim. law, Practice. A writ issued by a justice of the peace or other authorized officer, directed to a constable or other proper person, requiring him to arrest a person therein named, charged with committing some offence, and to bring him before that or some other justice of the peace. 2. It should regularly be made under the hand and seal of the justice and dated. No warrant ought to be issued except upon the oath or affirmation of a witness charging the defendant with, the offence. 3 Binn. Rep. 88. 3. The reprehensible practice of issuing blank warrants which once prevailed in England, was never adopted here. 4. A bench warrant is a process granted by a court authorizing a proper officer to apprehend and bring before it some on charged with some contempt, crime or misdemeanor. See Bench warrant. 5. A search warrant is a process issued by a competent court or officer authorizing an officer therein named or described, to examine a house or other place for the purpose of finding goods which it is alleged have been stolen. See Search warrant or arrest warrant.
Law Dictionary – Alternative Legal Definition
(verb) – In conveyancing. To assure the title to property sold, by an ex-press covenant to that effect in the deed of conveyance. To stipulate by an express cove-nant that the title of a grantee shall be good, and his possession undisturbed. In contracts. To engage or promise that a certain fact or state of facts, in relation to the subject matter, is, or shall be, as it is represented to be.
(noun) – 1. A writ or precept from a competent authority in pursuance of law, directing the doing of an act, and addressed to an officer or person competent to do the act, and affording him protection from damage, if he does it. People v. Wood, 71 N. Y. 376. 2.Particularly, a writ or precept issued by a magistrate, justice, or other competent authority, addressed to a sheriff, constable, or other officer, requiring him to arrest the body of a person therein named, and bring him before the magistrate or court, to answer, or to be examined, touching some offense which he is charged with having comr mltted. See, also, BENCH-WARRANT; SEARCH-WARRANT. 3. A warrant is an order by which the drawer authorizes one person to pay a particular sum of money. Shawnee County v. Carter, 2 Kan. 130. 4.An authority issued to a collector of taxes, empowering him to collect the taxes extended on the assessment roll, and to make distress and sale of goods or land in default of payment. 5.An order Issued by the proper authorities of a municipal corporation, authorizing the payee or holder to receive a certain sum .out of the municipal treasury. Bench warrant. See BENCH. Death warrant. A warrant issued generally by the chief executive authority of a state, directed to the sheriff or other proper local officer or the warden of a jail, commanding him at a certain time to proceed to carry into execution a sentence of death imposed by the court upon a convicted criminal. Distress warrant. See DISTRESS. General warrant. A process which formerly issued from the state secretary’s office in England to take up (without naming any persons) the author, printer, and publisher of such obscene and seditious libels as were specified in it. It was declared illegal and void for uncertainty by a vote of the house of com-mons on the 22d April, 1766. Wharton. Land warrant. A warrant issued at the local land offices of the United States to purchasers of public lands, on the surrender of which at the general land office at Washington, they receive a conveyance from the general government. Landlord’s warrant. See LANDLORD. Search warrant. See that title. Warrant creditor. See CREDITOR. Warrant in bankruptcy. A warrant issued, upon an adjudication in bankruptcy, directing the marshal to take possession of the bankrupt’s property, notify creditors, etc. Warrant of arrest. See ARREST. Warrant of attorney. In practice. A written authority, directed to any attorney or attorneys of any court of record, to appear for the party executing it, and receive a declaration for him in an action at the suit of a person named and thereupon to confess the same, or to suffer judgment to pass by de-fault ; and it also usually contains a release of errors. Warrant of commitment. A warrant of commitment is a written authority committing a person to cus-tody. Warrant officers. In the United States navy, these are a class of inferior officers who hold their rank by virtue of a writ-ten warrant instead of a commission, including boatswains, gunners, carpenters, etc. Warrant to sue and defend. In old practice. A special warrant from the crown, authorizing a party to appoint an attorney to sue or defend for him. 3 Bl. Comm. 25. A special authority given by a party to his attorney, to commence a suit, or to appear and defend a suit, in his behalf. These warrants are now disused, though formal entries of them upon the record were long retained in practice.