DIEM CLAUSIT EXTREMUM

diem  clausit  extremum  (dI-<<schwa>>m  klaw-zit  ek-stree-m<<schwa>>m),  n.[Law  Latin

“he closed his last day”] Hist. 1.A chancery writ, founded on the statute of Marlbury, ordering the

county escheator, after the death of a chief tenant of the Crown, to summon a jury to determine the

amount and value of land owned by the chief tenant, to determine the next heir, and to reclaim the

property for the Crown. • It was a type of inquisition post mortem.

“Diem clausit  extremum is a  writ that lies where the  king’s tenant that  holds in  chief, dies;

then  this writ shall  be  directed  to  the  excheator,  to  inquire of  what  estate  he  was  seised,  who  is

next heir, and his age, and of the certainty and value of the land, and of whom it is holden; and the

inquisition shall be returned into the chancery, which is commonly called the office after the death

of that person.” Termes de la Ley 169 (1st Am. ed. 1812).

2.  An  Exchequer  writ  ordering  a  sheriff  to  summon  a  jury  to  investigate  a  Crown  debtor’s

place of death and amount of property owned, and to levy the property of the deceased’s heirs and

executors. • It was repealed by the Crown Proceedings Act of 1947.“And there is another writ of

diem clausit extremum awarded out of the exchequer, after the death of an accomptant or debtor of

his  majesty,  to  levy  the  debt  of  his heir,  executor,  administrator’s  lands or  goods.”  Termes de  la

Ley 169 (1st Am. ed. 1812). [Blacks Law 8th]