If the rightful holder of the office has suffered damages, those may be recovered in a separate action. Law Dictionary — Alternative Legal Definition In old English practice. The writ is granted only when the U. The Attorney General may prescribe a shorter period of time in special cases or upon a showing of good cause. Courts generally use writs to grant extraordinary relief to party, to grant the right of appeal, or to grant the sheriff the right for seizure of property. The statutes relating to quo warranto are in the California Code of Civil Procedure, starting at section 803. Legal definition of qou warranto: 1: an extra ordinary writ requiring a person or corporation to show by what right or authority a public office or franchise is held or exercised 2: a proceeding in the nature of a writ of quo warranto for determining by what authority or right an office or franchise is held or exercised and seeking as an extra ordinary remedy the discontinuance of an unlawful exercise of office or franchise.
Writ is a formal written order issued by a court in the name of the state or other competent authority commanding a party to whom it is addressed to do something or abstain from doing something. In old English practice, the writ of quo warranto—an order issued by authority of the king—was one of the most ancient and important writs. The name of a writ commanding the sheriff, or other authorized officer, to…. It functions where any public office or authority is being abused. It is not intended to be legal advice and you would be foolhardy to rely on it in respect to any specific situation you or an acquaintance may be facing. Certain cases show that writ of qou warranto is also available to challenge the persons who are acting as officers or directors of business corporation. Held: Constitutional petition was dismissed by the High Court.
Courts issued writs under common law to allow people to proceed with a legal action. A writ, in the nature of a writ of right for the king, against him who claimed or usurped any office, franchise, or liberty; to inquire by what authority he supported his claim, in order to determine the right It lay also in case of non-user, or long neglect of a franchise, or misuser or abuse of it; being a writ commanding the defendant to show by what warrant he exercises such a franchise, having never had any grant of it or having forfeited it by neglect or abuse. Because this approval process is an administrative function, not a judicial one, there is no opportunity for formal discovery proceedings between the parties at this stage. Then the court would decide whether the detention is unlawful. Introduction: writ of Qou warranto, an order issued by authority of the king, was of great importance. The remedy of quo warranto is vested in the People, and not in any private individual or group, because the question of who has the right to hold a public office is a matter of public concern, not a private dispute.
S federal courts, the writ is mostly used to review the constitutionality of criminal convictions rendered by state courts. At the time of proceedings, if court does not finds accurate proof or it fails to hold the hearing then the respondent must cease to exercise the power and the position he is holding in public office, in case of public office he must vacate the office if he fails to prove himself right. In some jurisdictions which have enacted judicial review statutes, such as Queensland Australia , the prerogative writ of quo warranto has been abolished. In addition, proceedings have challenged the right to the position of county commissioner, treasurer, school board member, district attorney, judge, or tax commissioner. Ordinarily it is proper to try the issue of whether a public office or authority is being abused. The relator may then file a reply within 10 days. The writ seeks to disenfranchise on the record a person or organization from doing something for which it may not have the legal authority, by demanding to know by what right they exercise the controversial authority.
How Does a Quo Warranto Action Work? From time to time, the Attorney General may ask one party or another for additional information in order to make a full evaluation of the application and responses. If the defendant is not entitled to hold the office, the court may decide who does have that right. Additionally, the Attorney General may assume management of the litigation at any stage. Decision of lower court will remain the same when the writ is denied. Currently the former procedure has been replaced by an information in the nature of a quo warranto, an extraordinary remedy by which a prosecuting attorney, who represents the public at large, challenges someone who has usurped a public office or someone who, through abuse or neglect, has forfeited an office to which she was entitled. A challenge to a person allegedly improperly asserting a right to hold a public office.
As the writ of quo warranto is to question officials and this woman was holding the seat of National Assembly with fraud and was inquired about it. At Northwest Amexem — Northwest Africa — North America — The North Gate the Constitution that all corporations are a creature of is the American Constitution adopted for the United States of America 1791 which in truth is the Union States of America. Quo warranto is the legal term for a writ order used to challenge another's right to either public or corporate office or challenge the legality of a corporation's charter. Common law writs are not in use in the U. Valid reason must be indicated to justify governmental interference with the individual holding the challenged office, privilege, or license.
Other processes are available for that purpose. Quo Warranto A legal proceeding during which an individual's right to hold an office or governmental privilege is challenged. This writ has become obsolete, having given way to informations in the nature of a quo warranto at the common law; Ang. A quo warranto action may not be filed without the approval of the Attorney General except in those cases where a public agency is authorized to file for itself. For example it can be used to challenge unauthorized practice of a profession like law or medicine. Please consult with a translator for accuracy if you are relying on the translation or are using this site for official business. It is a legal document by the court ordering anyone, who is officially detaining the petitioner, to bring the person before the court.
Some states continue to use writ of quo warranto that have been abolished as a procedural matter in federal courts. That is their only function!!! The Supreme Court of the U. Later on, the records revealed that the petitioner had used the record of election petition which was pending before an Election Tribunal and wanted a second decision on the basis of said record from High Court. The application must be properly served on the proposed defendant, and filed within five days of service with the Attorney General. This refers to a legal procedure undertaken to cause a person or organization to i cease its efforts or activities with regard to performing some act for which it may not have the legal right or authority and to ii state what right or authority it has to perform such actions. Now a days, it has been replaced by an information in nature of Qou warranto which is an extraordinary remedy , under this writ prosecuting attorney who represents public at large can challenge any government official for neglect and abuse of powers.