Meaning & use
mandamus
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A judicial writ issued as a command ordering a court, official, or organization to perform a public or legal duty.
See it in a sentence
The advocacy group filed for a writ of mandamus to force the agency to release the records.
The court denied the mandamus petition, ruling the official had discretion in the matter.
A note on using this word
A legal term almost always used in the phrase "writ of mandamus"; rarely encountered outside legal writing.
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