Door
A Law Dictionary, Adapted to the Constitution and Laws of the United States · John Bouvier · 1839
A Law Dictionary, Adapted to the Constitution and Laws of the United States
The place of usual entrance in a house, or into a room in the house. Doors are distinguished into outer doors and inner doors. To authorise the breach of an outer door in order to serve process, the process must be of a criminal nature, and even then a demand of admittance must first have been refused. 3 Co. 93; 4 Leon. 41; T. Jones, 234; the outer door may also be broken open for the purpose of executing a writ of habere facias.
5 Co. 93; Bac. Ab. Sheriff, N 3.
An outer doorcannot in general be broken for the purpose of serving civil process, but after the defendant has been arrested, and he takes refuge in his own house, the officer may Justify breaking an outer door to take him.
Foster, 320; 1 Roll. R. 138; Cro. Jac. 555.
When once an officer is in the house, he may break open an inner door to make an arrest.