general warrants

In England, open writs for the arrest of unspecified persons suspected of committing a named offence. The warrants were issued by the Star Chamber and were mainly used under Charles II. They were abolished after their misuse against John Wilkes, who criticized King George III in his journal the North Briton April 1763. He and 49 others associated with the publication were arrested under general warrants against seditious libel and successfully challenged the legality of the procedure in the courts. Parliament concurred and they were abolished 1765, although they can still be issued to prevent sedition in the armed forces under the terms of an act of 1934.