What is a legal order for an arrest requested by the state attorney's office called?

A legal order for an arrest requested by the state attorney's office is known as a capias. This term specifically refers to a type of writ that orders law enforcement to take a person into custody. It is typically issued when someone has failed to comply with a court order, such as not appearing for a scheduled hearing, or when there is a need to bring a defendant before the court to answer charges.

In contrast, a warrant is generally issued by a judge and allows law enforcement to arrest a suspect based on evidence of wrongdoing, but it does not necessarily originate specifically from the state attorney's office as a capias would. A subpoena, on the other hand, is a legal document that commands an individual to attend court or produce evidence, rather than to arrest someone. An indictment is a formal accusation of a crime, indicating that a grand jury believes there is sufficient evidence to charge a person with a crime, but it does not itself serve as an arrest order. Thus, the capias is the proper term for this specific legal order utilized by the state attorney's office for arrest purposes.