What is "scire facias"

Scire facias \Sci`re fa"ci*as\ (s[imac]`r[-e] f[=a]"sh[i^]*[a^]s). [L., do you cause to know.] (Law) A judicial writ, founded upon some record, and requiring the party proceeded against to show cause why the party bringing it should not have advantage of such record, or (as in the case of scire facias to repeal letters patent) why the record should not be annulled or vacated.
--Wharton. Bouvier.

n. (context legal English) A judicial writ directing the sheriff to make the record known to a specified party, and requiring that defendant to show cause why the party bringing the writ should not be able to cite that record in his own interest, or why, in the case of letters patent and grants, the patent or grant should not be annulled and vacated.

n. a judicial writ based on some record and requiring the party against whom it is brought to show cause why the record should not be enforced or annulled

In English law, a writ of scire facias (Latin, meaning literally "make known") was a writ founded upon some judicial record directing the sheriff to make the record known to a specified party, and requiring the defendant to show cause why the party bringing the writ should not be able to cite that record in his own interest, or why, in the case of letters patent and grants, the patent or grant should not be annulled and vacated. In the United States, the writ has been abolished under federal law but may still be available in some state legal systems.