Legal Term: DOOR

Definition: The place of usual entrance in a house, or into a room in the house. 2. To authorize 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. 5 Co. 93, 4 Leon. 41, T. Jones, 234, 1 N. H. Rep. 346, 10 John. 263, 1 Root, 83 , 134, 21 Pick. R. 156. 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. 3. An outer door cannot in general be broken for the purpose of serving civil process, 13 Mass. 520, 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., 10 Wend. 300, 6 Hill, N. Y. Rep. 597. When once an officer is in the house, he may break open an inner door to make an arrest. Kirby, 386 5 John. 352, 17 John. 127, See 1 Toull. n. 214, p. 88.

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