A judicial writ or precept directed to the sheriff, requiring him to cause a certain number of qualified persons to appear in court at a specified time, to serve as jurors in said court. Also used as a summons to cause the party indicted to appear.

A writ of scire facias is a judicial writ founded upon some record directing the sheriff to make it known (scire-facias) to the party against whom it is brought, and requiring the latter to show cause why the party bringing the writ should not have the advantage of such record, or why (in the case of letters patent and grants) the record should not be annulled and vacated.