venire facias

Meanings

1. A judicial writ or precept directed to the sheriff, requiring him to summon a certain number of qualified persons to a court case to serve as jurors.
2. A summons to cause the party indicted on a penal statute to appear.
3. Clipping of venire facias ad respondendum, a writ directed to the sheriff, requiring him to cause the person named in the writ to appear in court to respond to a civil (non-criminal) claim against him or her.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin venīre faciās (“that you make or cause to come”), from the opening words of the writ.