A praecipe is a written order or request. In the form of an order, it directs a defendant to comply, or present a valid reason as to why they cannot or should not do so. If a request, it asks the court or court officer to complete a specific task.
The word praecipe is a Latin term that is generally translated as "to command," or "give an order."
The circumstances under which a praecipe can be issued, and the way in which it is done, is dictated by federal, state or local law.
In general, praecipes submitted directly to a court clerk are requests related to routine matters such as scheduling trials or entering judgments. As such, these do not warrant a judge's attention. On the other hand, those sent directly to a judge are more complex, and require interpretation of the law.