''Capias pro fine'' are writs or warrants issued after the

defendant In court proceedings, a defendant is a person or object who is the party either accused of committing a crime in criminal prosecution or against whom some type of civil relief is being sought in a civil case. Terminology varies from one jurisdic ...

fails to comply with a court's order to pay a fine. The writ is considered outstanding until paid in full. The recipient usually must remain in

jail A prison, also known as a jail, gaol (dated, standard English, Australian, and historically in Canada), penitentiary (American English and Canadian English), detention center (or detention centre outside the US), correction center, correc ...

until fees and/or costs have been satisfied by time served or the fees and/or costs have been paid in full. In many jurisdictions, including Texas, a defendant taken into custody under a ''capias pro fine'' is not transported directly to jail, but is taken before the court which issued the capias and required to show cause why the terms of the judgment were not fulfilled. If the defendant cannot demonstrate good cause, then the defendant can be confined until the terms are lawfully discharged.

References

Writs Legal documents with Latin names {{England-law-stub