Writ of Prohibition

A writ of prohibition is a court order issued by a higher court to a lower court or tribunal to prevent it from acting beyond its jurisdiction or from usurping a jurisdiction it does not possess. This writ mandates the inferior court to cease any action over a case that may not fall within its jurisdiction. It can also be issued when the lower court is acting outside the normal rules and procedures in the examination of a case or is headed towards defeating a legal right. The basis for issuing the writ commonly includes want or excess of jurisdiction, breach of natural justice, or other similar grounds.