A writ is a formal, legal document that orders a person or entity to perform or to cease performing a specific action or deed. Writs are drafted by judges, courts, or other entities that have administrative or judicial jurisdiction. These documents are part of common law and are often issued after a judgment is made, giving those involved in a suit the ability to carry out the judgment. Writs can take many forms including summonses, writs of execution, writs of habeas corpus, warrants, and orders.

In India, only the Supreme Court and the High Courts have the power to exercise writ jurisdiction. Article 32 gives the Supreme Court this authority, while article 226 gives it to the high courts. The fundamental right and legal right of the affected person is enforced by it. A person has the fundamental right to bring his or her complaint or grievance against any administrative action to the attention of the court. The most critical components of writ jurisdictions are the protection of fundamental rights and the guarantee of natural justice.

Writs are a remnant of the English common law system and are used in the United States as well. The All Writs Act, a United States federal statute initially codified in the Judiciary Act of 1789, grants U.S. federal courts the subject-matter jurisdiction to grant common law writs as long as their issuance is "necessary or appropriate in aid of . In modern practice, the All Writs Act is used when a legislative scheme is incomplete or unclear. However, the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, adopted in 1938 to govern civil proceedings in United States district courts, has abolished particular writs by name.

In summary, a writ is a formal, legal document that orders a person or entity to perform or to cease performing a specific action or deed. Writs are drafted by judges, courts, or other entities that have administrative or judicial jurisdiction. They are part of common law and are often issued after a judgment is made, giving those involved in a suit the ability to carry out the judgment. In India, only the Supreme Court and the High Courts have the power to exercise writ jurisdiction. In the United States, writs are a remnant of the English common law system and are used when a legislative scheme is incomplete or unclear.