A writ of possession—also known as a writ of eviction—is a court order issued after the landlord wins an eviction case in court against a residential or commercial tenant. This court order gives the landlord the exclusive right to possession of the property. The local sheriff or constable will often serve the writ of possession or eviction on the tenant and will physically remove the tenant if necessary.

A writ of possession is also issued to a purchaser of a property that was foreclosed on and sold at a sheriff’s sale—which historically took place on the courthouse steps, and sometimes still does. In the foreclosed property context, the writ of possession allows the purchaser who bought the property in foreclosure to take immediate possession of the property.

Laws regarding writs of possession or writs of eviction vary from state to state, including the amount of time the tenant has to vacate the property after being served with the writ of possession or writ of eviction—generally ranging from 24 hours to 30 days—before being physically removed by the sheriff or constable.

In Connecticut, a writ of possession or eviction is a legal document that a court issues to a landlord after they have won an eviction lawsuit against a tenant. This writ authorizes the landlord to reclaim possession of their property. The process is handled by a state marshal, who serves the writ on the tenant. If the tenant does not vacate the premises within the time frame specified by the court, which can vary depending on the case, the state marshal is authorized to physically remove the tenant from the property. In the context of foreclosed properties, the writ of possession allows the new owner, typically the winning bidder at a foreclosure sale, to take possession of the property. The specific time frame for a tenant to vacate after receiving a writ of possession in Connecticut is generally set by the court, and tenants may be given a period of time that is reasonable under the circumstances, which could be as short as 24 hours or up to several days, to leave the property before enforcement action is taken.