Writ Of Mandamus (Noun)
Meaning
An extraordinary writ commanding an official to perform a ministerial act that the law recognizes as an absolute duty and not a matter for the official's discretion; used only when all other judicial remedies fail.
Classification
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents.
Examples
- A writ of mandamus was issued to compel the public records office to release documents that had been improperly withheld.
- The court granted the writ of mandamus, ordering the licensing board to issue a new permit to the construction company.
- In a landmark decision, the judiciary ruled that a writ of mandamus could be used to force the executive branch to enforce environmental regulations.
- After exhausting all other avenues of appeal, the plaintiff sought a writ of mandamus to compel the city official to provide necessary zoning documentation.
- The appellate court upheld the lower court's decision to issue a writ of mandamus, affirming that the official had a clear duty to release the requested information.