English

Noun

huissier de justice ‎(plural huissiers de justice)

1. (law) An officer of the court in several European countries with a monopoly on process-serving and execution of certain court orders, roughly similar to British bailiffs but with aspects of other positions, such as notarization of documents.

Usage notes

The Union Internationale des Huissiers de Justice prefers the term judicial officer, but it is generally more common in English to employ the inexact bailiff or the French huissier de justice.

Synonyms

• judicial officer
• (loosely) bailiff, notary, notary public, process server

French

Etymology

Coined to distinguish this role from other senses of huissier ‎(“usher”).

Noun

huissier de justice m ‎(plural huissiers de justice)

1. (law) huissier de justice

Synonyms

• huissier