DEDIMUS POTESTATEM

dedimus potestatem (ded-<<schwa>>-m<<schwa>>s poh-tes-tay-t<<schwa>>m). [Law Latin

“we have given power”] 1. A commission issuing from the court before which a case is pending,

authorizing a person  named in the commission to compel the attendance  of certain  witnesses, to

take  their  testimony  on  the  written  interrogatories  and  cross-interrogatories  attached  to  the

commission,  to  reduce  the  answers  to  writing,  and  to  send  it  sealed  to  the  court  issuing  the

commission. 2. In England, a chancery writ commissioning the persons named in the writ to take

certain actions, including administering oaths to defendants and justices of the  peace. • The  writ

was  formerly  used  to  commission  a  person  to  take  action  such  as  acknowledging  a  fine  and

appointing  an  attorney  for  representation  in  court.  Before the  Statute  of  Westminster  (1285),  an

attorney  could  not  appear  on  behalf  of  a  party  without  this  writ.  —  Also  termed  dedimus

potestatem de attorno faciendo.

“Dedimus potestatem is a writ that lies where a man sues in the king’s court, or is sued, and

cannot well travel, then he shall have this writ directed to some justice, or other discreet person in

the country, to give him power to admit some man for his attorney, or to levy a fine, or to take his

confession, or his answer, or other examination, as the matter requires.” Termes de la Ley 148 (1st

Am. ed. 1812). [Blacks Law 8th]