What is a Writ of Possession, and What Does It Mean for Tenants?

Abstract

A writ of possession is a court order that authorizes a law enforcement officer to remove a tenant and their possessions from a rental home. A writ of possession is sometimes called a writ of eviction. A writ of possession is a last resort Many evictions won't need a writ of possession. A landlord won't need to file a writ of possession if they legally tell a tenant they're being evicted and the tenant leaves voluntarily. A writ of possession can be issued for many reasons Any time a writ of possession is granted, it means the landlord won an eviction court hearing, but the tenant hasn't left the rental property yet. A typical eviction process might look like this: What happens to a tenant's possessions? If a tenant's possessions are still at the home when the writ is enforced, the landlord can remove them while the officer is at the property. Can a writ of possession be stopped? A judge can stop a writ of possession in some cases.