In the twelfth century, writs praecipe, addressed to sheriffs,[2] emerged as the swiftest way to bring legal disputes to the royal courts.
[4] The latter, one of the so-called writs of entry, was singled out in Magna Carta Ch 34 by the barons in an attempt (largely unsuccessful) to delimit more firmly private from royal jurisdiction.
[5] In law in the United States a praecipe is a document that either (A) commands a defendant to appear and show cause why an act or thing should not be done;[6] or (B) requests the clerk of court to issue a writ and to specify its contents; though US Clerks are variously limited to handle minor precepts (typical status adjustments) in the name of the Court (i.e., a clerk cannot issue any forceful or mandamus writ).
[citation needed] The writ was often issued to amend or change a subsequent order or to correct an error that may have been missed earlier.
In Canada, praecipe is used in place of a notice of motion as an application for a desk order that is granted in the court registry without a hearing before a judge.