Legal Dictionary

bailiff

Legal Definition of bailiff

Noun

  1. An officer of court having custody of prisoners under arraignment
  2. A sheriff's deputy for serving processes and warrants of arrest
  3. A custodian of property and its management for the
    a: owner
    b: steward
    c: overseer
  4. (British) A subordinate magistrate with jurisdiction limited to a certain district or to certain functions, as to keeping the peace in the hundreds
  5. The first civil officer in each of the Channel Islands.

Definition of bailiff

Pronunciation

  • enPR: bāʹ-lĭf, IPA: /ˈbeɪlɪf/, SAMPA: /"beIlIf/

Noun

bailiff (plural bailiffs)

  1. (law) A legal officer to whom some degree of authority, care or jurisdiction is committed.
  2. (British) The steward or overseer of an estate.

Related terms

  • bailie
  • bailiwick

Further reading

A bailiff (from Late Latin baiulivus, adjectival form of baiulus) is a governor or custodian (cf. bail); a legal officer to whom some degree of authority, care or jurisdiction is committed. Bailiffs are of various kinds and their offices and duties vary greatly.

References:

  1. Wiktionary. Published under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.



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