Capias Ad Satisfaciendum

Capias ad satisfaciendum (that you take to satisfy); called in practice a ca. sa. A writ of execution of the highest nature, inasmuch as it deprived a person of liberty, till the satisfaction awarded be made. The writ was addressed to the sheriff, commanding him to take the body of the defendant and have him at Westminster on a day therein named, or immediately after the execution of the writ, to make the plaintiff satisfaction for his demand, or remain in custody till he did. The general rule was that any person might be arrested under this writ who was not privileged from being held to bail under a capias ad respondendum. By 7 & 8 Vict. c. 96, s. 57, this kind of execution was abolished 'in any action for the recovery of any debt wherein the sum recovered shall not exceed 20l. exclusive of the costs recovered by such judgment,' and by the (English) Debtors Act, 1869, (32 & 33 Vict c. 62), in any action whatever, unless the defendant could, but would not, pay. See IMPRISONMENT FOR DEBT, and DEBT.