mittimus

A court order directing a sheriff or other police officer to escort a convict to a prison.

A mittimus is a written document. It can command a jailer to safely keep a felon until he or she can be transferred to a prison. A mittimus also refers to the transcript of the conviction and sentencing stages, which is duly certified by a clerk of court.

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mittimus noun authorization, command, command to incarcerate, court order of imprisonment, decretal, direction to imprison, edict, legal order, mandate, official order, order, transcript of minutes of commitment, warrant of commitment, written precept of imprisonment
Associated concepts: commitment

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See also: charge, citation, commitment

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MITTIMUS, English practice. A writ enclosing a record sent to be tried in a county palatine; it derives its name from the Latin word mittimus, "we send." It is the jury process of these counties, and commands the proper officer of the county palatine to command the sheriff to summon the jury for the trial of the cause, and to return the record, &c. 1 M. R. 278; 2 M. R. 88.

MITTIMUS, crim. law, practice. A precept in writing, under the hand and seal of a justice of the peace, or other competent officer, directed to the gaoler or keeper of a prison, commanding him to receive and safely keep, a person charged with an offence therein named until he shall be delivered by due course of law. Co. Litt. 590.