1. a court order commanding a government official or agency to perform a specific duty required by law
Usage: legal

Examples

• The citizens filed for a writ of mandamus to force the city to repair the roads.
• The court issued a mandamus ordering the agency to release the public records.
• A mandamus can compel government officials to fulfill their legal obligations.
• The judge denied the petition for mandamus, ruling that the official had discretion.
• Mandamus is an extraordinary remedy used when other legal options have failed.
• The environmental group sought a mandamus to enforce pollution regulations.