scire facias

noun Law.

1. a writ requiring the party against whom it is brought to show cause why a judgment, letters patent, etc., should not be executed, vacated, or annulled.
2. a judicial proceeding initiated by such a writ.

noun law rare

1. a judicial writ founded upon some record, such as a judgment, letters patent, etc, requiring the person against whom it is brought to show cause why the record should not be enforced or annulled
2. a proceeding begun by the issue of such a writ