1. Singh, who spoke later, cautioned the judiciary against substituting its power of mandamus with the take–over of the functions of other organs.

2. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit to issue what is known as a writ of mandamus, which would order Brinkema to restore all or part of the disputed evidence.

3. However, at the same time, Singh said that the judiciary cannot substitute its power of mandamus to take–over the functions of another organ, meaning the legislature and executive.

4. Carl Tobias, a law professor at the University of Richmond, said prosecutors might ask the appeals court for a rarely used common law relief order called a writ of mandamus, but such orders are granted only in extraordinary circumstances. –– On the Net: Court‘s Moussaoui site: http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov/notablecases/moussaoui/index.html Privacy policy | Terms & conditions | Advertising guide | A–Z index | About this site

5. "What is unusual is that they are packaging all of these measures into one resolution." But there is one exceptional item in the resolution, Kobach said –– a provision that would give legal residents "writ of mandamus" powers, which would allow them to sue Prince William if they suspect that a county agency has failed to comply with the resolution‘s aim of denying services and reporting violators.