Legal Definitions - de vi laica amovenda

de vi laica amovenda

De vi laica amovenda is a legal term that means "of removing a lay force." It refers to a writ that allows a parson to claim their rights to a church and order a sheriff to remove a group of laymen who have taken control of the church and prevented the new parson from entering.

For example, if a new parson was appointed to a church but a group of laymen, along with another parson, refused to let them enter and take control, the new parson could use the de vi laica amovenda writ to order the sheriff to remove the laymen and allow them to take their rightful place in the church.