An ancient writ in Eng-lish law which was available for one who had a right to lands or tenements by virtue of a gift in tall. It was in the nature of a writ of right, and was the highest action that a tenant in tall could have; for he conld not have an absolute writ of right, that being confined to such as claimed in fee-simple, and for that reason this writ of formedon was granted to him hy the statute de donis, (westm. 2,13 Edw. I. c. 1,) and was emphatically called “his” writ of right. The writ was distinguished into three species, viz.: Formedon in the descender, in the re-malnder, and in the reverter. It was abolished in England by St. 3 & 4 wm. IV. c. 27. See 3 Bl. Comm. 191; Co. Litt. 316; Fitzh. Nat Brev. 255
Source: Black’s Law Dictionary 2nd Ed (1910)
