Legal Definitions - bailivia

Bailivia is another term for bailiwick, which refers to the office, jurisdiction, or district of a bailiff. A bailiff is a peace officer who has limited authority over a specific territory.

• A village had a bailiff who was responsible for maintaining peace and order within the village. The bailiff's jurisdiction was limited to the village, which was his bailivia.
• A sheriff is a peace officer who has jurisdiction over a county. Therefore, the bailivia of a sheriff is his county.
• A state officer, such as a member of the Highway Patrol, has jurisdiction over the entire state. Hence, the bailivia of a state officer is the state.

These examples illustrate how the term bailivia or bailiwick is used to describe the specific territory over which a peace officer exercises his or her authority.