Which statement best distinguishes Capias from Capias Pro Fine?

• A. Capias orders an officer to take a person into custody; Capias Pro Fine orders a person to be taken after judgment for unpaid fines.
• B. Capias is only for civil matters; Capias Pro Fine is only for criminal matters.
• C. Capias Pro Fine is the initial arrest writ; Capias is used after sentencing.
• D. Capias and Capias Pro Fine are identical in purpose and effect.

Answer: (A)

The key idea is when and why each writ is used. A Capias is a writ that commands an officer to arrest a person and bring them into court, typically to answer charges or to compel the person to appear in ongoing criminal proceedings. A Capias Pro Fine, by contrast, is issued after judgment to enforce payment of fines and costs—arresting the person so they can be brought back before the court to address unpaid amounts. So Capias handles pre- or during-trial custody to secure appearance, while Capias Pro Fine handles post-judgment enforcement of financial penalties.

Capias isn’t limited to civil matters, and Capias Pro Fine isn’t limited to criminal matters in that sense, but their practical use reflects the stage and purpose: appearance versus payment. The other statements misstate the timing or purpose of the writs, whereas this distinction best captures why the two are different.