Mittimus vs. Warrant: What's the Difference?
Edited by Huma Saeed || By Sawaira Riaz || Updated on October 11, 2023
A mittimus is a court order directing law enforcement to convey a person to prison, while a warrant is a legal document authorizing law enforcement to make an arrest or search or carry out another action.
Key Differences
A mittimus primarily pertains to the judicial domain. It represents an official command issued by the court, specifically directing law enforcement to take an individual to prison, following a sentencing. Conversely, a warrant encompasses a broader scope. It's a legal document that gets its authority from a judge or magistrate, granting law enforcement permission to take particular actions, such as making an arrest, executing a search, or seizing property.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 11, 2023
While the mittimus is a product of a concluded trial or hearing, essentially being the aftermath of a legal process where a person is sentenced to incarceration, a warrant typically signifies the initiation or continuation of legal proceedings. It can be issued before a person is charged with a crime, prompting their arrest, or during an investigation where evidence is sought.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 11, 2023
In terms of application, a mittimus is singular in its purpose: sending someone to jail or prison. This is after the individual's guilt has been established in court. On the other hand, a warrant's utilization is multifaceted. Depending on the warrant type, it could be used for arresting suspects, searching homes or businesses, or even demanding certain actions from the person named.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 11, 2023
Timing is also a distinction. A mittimus is issued after the court has heard a case and rendered a judgment. In contrast, a warrant, especially an arrest warrant, can be the very reason a person first appears in court. In essence, while a mittimus symbolizes the culmination of certain legal proceedings, a warrant can denote the commencement.
Aimie Carlson
Oct 11, 2023
In summary, both mittimus and warrant are crucial legal instruments, but they cater to different stages and aspects of the judicial process. While a mittimus executes a court's sentencing decision, a warrant facilitates the processes that may lead to such a decision.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 11, 2023
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Comparison Chart
Definition
A court order to send someone to prison.
A legal document authorizing specific actions by law enforcement.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 11, 2023
Main Purpose
Execution of sentencing.
Authorization for arrests, searches, or other actions.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 11, 2023
Scope
Specific to sending individuals to incarceration.
Broad, covering multiple legal actions.
Sara Rehman
Oct 11, 2023
Stage in Process
Culmination of legal proceedings.
Commencement or continuation of legal proceedings.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 11, 2023
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Mittimus and Warrant Definitions
Mittimus
An official court order directing the imprisonment of an individual.
The judge issued a mittimus, sending the convict to jail.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 11, 2023
Warrant
A legal authorization for law enforcement to take a specific action.
The officer had a warrant to search the premises.
Aimie Carlson
Oct 11, 2023
Mittimus
A written command to a jailer to keep someone in custody.
The sheriff received the mittimus for the accused's confinement.
Harlon Moss
Oct 11, 2023
Warrant
A document issued by a legal officer allowing the arrest or search of an individual or property.
The arrest warrant was executed at dawn.
Sara Rehman
Oct 11, 2023
Mittimus
Legal documentation ensuring the transfer of prisoners to a particular facility.
The mittimus specified the penitentiary as his destination.
Aimie Carlson
Oct 11, 2023
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Warrant
A written assurance or guarantee.
The product comes with a warranty of two years.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 11, 2023
Mittimus
The formal record of a judgment for imprisonment.
The mittimus was recorded, detailing his three-year sentence.
Janet White
Oct 11, 2023
Warrant
A voucher of payment or authority to pay.
He received a treasury warrant for his services.
Janet White
Oct 11, 2023
Mittimus
A directive concluding a legal process, leading to incarceration.
The mittimus marked the end of his trial, and the start of his sentence.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 11, 2023
Warrant
(Law) A judicial writ authorizing the search or seizure of property, arrest of a person, or the execution of a legal judgment.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 28, 2023
Warrant
Justification for an action or a belief; grounds
"The difficulty of predicting the future is no warrant to ignore it" (Brian Hayes).
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 28, 2023
Mittimus
A precept or warrant granted by a justice for committing to prison a party charged with crime; a warrant of commitment to prison.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 28, 2023
Warrant
Something that provides assurance or confirmation; a guarantee or proof
"The kind of uncertainties and ambiguities ... which may damage [his] essays ... are often a warrant of authenticity in [his] fiction" (John Edward Hardy).
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 28, 2023
Warrant
To provide adequate grounds for; justify or require
What could he have done that would warrant such a punishment?.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 28, 2023
Warrant
(countable) Something that provides assurance or confirmation; a guarantee or proof.
A warrant of authenticity; a warrant for success
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 28, 2023
Warrant
(countable) An order that serves as authorization; especially a voucher authorizing payment or receipt of money.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 28, 2023
Warrant
An option, usually issued together with another security and with a term at issue greater than a year, to buy other securities of the issuer.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 28, 2023
Warrant
A judicial writ authorizing an officer to make a search, seizure, or arrest, or to execute a judgment.
An arrest warrant issued by the court
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 28, 2023
Warrant
A document certifying that a motor vehicle meets certain standards of mechanical soundness and safety; a warrant of fitness.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 28, 2023
Warrant
To give (someone) an assurance or guarantee (of something); also, with a double object: to guarantee (someone something).
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 28, 2023
Warrant
(transitive) To guarantee (something) to be (of a specified quality, value, etc.).
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 28, 2023
Warrant
(transitive) To guarantee as being true; (colloquially) to believe strongly.
That tree is going to fall, I’ll warrant.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 28, 2023
Warrant
(transitive) To authorize; to give (someone) sanction or warrant (to do something).
I am warranted to search these premises fully.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 28, 2023
Warrant
(transitive) To justify; to give grounds for.
Circumstances arose that warranted the use of lethal force.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 28, 2023
Warrant
That which warrants or authorizes; a commission giving authority, or justifying the doing of anything; an act, instrument, or obligation, by which one person authorizes another to do something which he has not otherwise a right to do; an act or instrument investing one with a right or authority, and thus securing him from loss or damage; commission; authority.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 28, 2023
Warrant
That which vouches or insures for anything; guaranty; security.
I give thee warrant of thy place.
His worth is warrant for his welcome hither.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 28, 2023
Warrant
A precept issued by a magistrate authorizing an officer to make an arrest, a seizure, or a search, or do other acts incident to the administration of justice.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 28, 2023
Warrant
An official certificate of appointment issued to an officer of lower rank than a commissioned officer. See Warrant officer, below.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 28, 2023
Warrant
To make secure; to give assurance against harm; to guarantee safety to; to give authority or power to do, or forbear to do, anything by which the person authorized is secured, or saved harmless, from any loss or damage by his action.
That show I first my body to warrant.
I'll warrant him from drowning.
In a placeLess warranted than this, or less secure,I can not be.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 28, 2023
Warrant
To support by authority or proof; to justify; to maintain; to sanction; as, reason warrants it.
True fortitude is seen in great exploits,That justice warrants, and that wisdom guides.
How little while it is since he went forth out of his study, - chewing a Hebrew text of Scripture in his mouth, I warrant.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 28, 2023
Warrant
To give a warrant or warranty to; to assure as if by giving a warrant to.
[My neck is] as smooth as silk, I warrant ye.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 28, 2023
Warrant
A type of security issued by a corporation (usually together with a bond or preferred stock) that gives the holder the right to purchase a certain amount of common stock at a stated price;
As a sweetener they offered warrants along with the fixed-income securities
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 28, 2023
Warrant
Formal and explicit approval;
A Democrat usually gets the union's endorsement
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 28, 2023
Warrant
A written assurance that some product or service will be provided or will meet certain specifications
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 28, 2023
Warrant
Show to be reasonable or provide adequate ground for;
The emergency does not warrant all of us buying guns
The end justifies the means
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 28, 2023
Warrant
Stand behind and guarantee the quality, accuracy, or condition of;
The dealer warrants all the cars he sells
I warrant this information
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 28, 2023
Warrant
Justification or valid grounds for an action or belief.
There's no warrant for such behavior in this establishment.
Aimie Carlson
Oct 11, 2023
FAQs
Can a police officer issue a warrant?
No, warrants are issued by judges or magistrates based on presented evidence.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 11, 2023
Is a mittimus only issued after a guilty verdict?
Yes, a mittimus is typically issued after a person has been found guilty and sentenced.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 11, 2023
What is the main purpose of a warrant?
A warrant is a legal authorization allowing law enforcement to perform specific actions, like arrests, searches, or seizures.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 11, 2023
When is a mittimus executed?
A mittimus is executed after the court's judgment, leading to the individual's incarceration.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 11, 2023
Can anyone other than law enforcement execute a warrant?
Typically, only authorized law enforcement agents can execute warrants, though certain exceptions might exist, like a bail bondsman executing an arrest warrant in some jurisdictions.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 11, 2023
What happens if a warrant is mistakenly issued?
If a warrant is issued in error, it can be recalled or quashed by the court.
Sara Rehman
Oct 11, 2023
What is a mittimus in legal terms?
A mittimus is a court order directing that a person be taken to prison or jail following sentencing.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 11, 2023
Can a mittimus be revoked?
A mittimus itself can't be revoked, but the underlying judgment or sentence can be appealed or modified, potentially affecting its execution.
Janet White
Oct 11, 2023
Are there different types of warrants?
Yes, there are several, including arrest warrants, search warrants, and bench warrants.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 11, 2023
Can someone be released once a mittimus is issued?
Only if there's a legal intervention, such as an appeal, that changes the judgment or if there's a clerical error in the mittimus.
Sara Rehman
Oct 11, 2023
What's the difference between a mittimus and a warrant?
A mittimus orders someone to be imprisoned post-sentencing, while a warrant authorizes law enforcement actions like arrests or searches.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 11, 2023
How long is a warrant valid for?
Warrants do not typically expire unless executed, recalled, or quashed by the issuing authority.
Harlon Moss
Oct 11, 2023
Can a warrant be issued without evidence?
No, a warrant requires probable cause, which is usually based on evidence presented to a judge or magistrate.
Janet White
Oct 11, 2023
Can a person challenge a mittimus?
While the mittimus itself isn't typically challenged, the underlying conviction or sentence can be appealed or reviewed.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 11, 2023
Is a warrant public record?
Generally, warrants become public records, but they might not be immediately accessible to the public, especially if disclosure could jeopardize investigations.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 11, 2023
Is a mittimus the same in all jurisdictions?
While the fundamental concept is consistent, specific procedures or formats for a mittimus may vary between jurisdictions.
Harlon Moss
Oct 11, 2023
Does a mittimus apply to both jail and prison sentences?
Yes, a mittimus can order someone to be taken to either a local jail or a state/federal prison, depending on the sentence.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 11, 2023
Does a mittimus specify the prison or jail facility?
Typically, a mittimus will specify the facility or type of facility where the individual is to be incarcerated.
Aimie Carlson
Oct 11, 2023
Can a warrant be executed outside its issuing jurisdiction?
Some warrants, especially felony warrants, can be executed outside the issuing jurisdiction, but this often requires coordination between law enforcement agencies.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 11, 2023
How long can law enforcement take to execute a warrant?
There's no universal time limit, but law enforcement typically acts on warrants as soon as feasible. Delays can risk the warrant becoming stale, which might affect its validity in certain cases.
Harlon Moss
Oct 11, 2023
About Author
Written by
Sawaira RiazSawaira is a dedicated content editor at difference.wiki, where she meticulously refines articles to ensure clarity and accuracy. With a keen eye for detail, she upholds the site's commitment to delivering insightful and precise content.
Edited by
Huma SaeedHuma is a renowned researcher acclaimed for her innovative work in Difference Wiki. Her dedication has led to key breakthroughs, establishing her prominence in academia. Her contributions continually inspire and guide her field.
