"Writ" includes a writ of execution, a writ of possession of personal property, a writ of possession of real property, and a writ of sale.
§ 680.380.Writ
Title 9. Enforcement of Judgments · Division 1 · Chapter 1. Short Title and Definitions · Enacted 1982 · no amendments on record · Last verified July 28, 2026
In one sentenceSection 680.380 defines writ to include a writ of execution, a writ of possession of personal property, a writ of possession of real property, and a writ of sale, the umbrella term for the court-issued instruments a levying officer uses to carry out enforcement of a judgment.
Full Text of § 680.380
Plain-English Summary
Different kinds of judgments call for different enforcement instruments, and this section collects the four main types under one label. A writ of execution enforces money judgments; a writ of possession of personal property or of real property enforces judgments awarding possession of that kind of property; and a writ of sale enforces judgments directing property to be sold.
This umbrella definition ties directly to § 681.010's routing scheme, which sends each type of judgment to the enforcement chapter built around the matching writ. Understanding which writ applies to a given judgment is often the first practical question in any enforcement matter, since the writ is the actual instrument a levying officer needs before taking any enforcement action at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of writs fall under this definition?
A writ of execution, a writ of possession of personal property, a writ of possession of real property, and a writ of sale.
Which writ applies to a money judgment?
Generally a writ of execution, the instrument used to enforce money judgments under Division 2 of the Enforcement of Judgments Law, as § 681.010 explains.
Why does the type of judgment determine which writ is needed?
Because each writ is built to carry out a specific kind of relief -- payment of money, possession of property, or a court-ordered sale -- so the underlying judgment's substance determines which writ a levying officer needs before acting.
Amendment History
Added by Stats. 1982, Ch. 1364, Sec. 2. Operative July 1, 1983, by Sec. 3 of Ch. 1364.
Source & verification. Section text is reproduced verbatim from
the Deering's California Codes Annotated / vLex. Enacted by the California Legislature.
Last verified July 28, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: writ definition california judgment enforcementtypes of writs california enforcement of judgments