Anexequatur (Latin, literally "let it execute") is alegal document issued by a sovereign authority that permits the exercise or enforcement of a right within thejurisdiction of the authority.
An exequatur is apatent which ahead of state issues to a foreignconsul, guaranteeing the consul's rights and privileges of office and ensuring recognition in thestate to which the consul is appointed to exercise such powers. If a consul is not appointed bycommission, the consul receives no exequatur; the government will usually provide some other means to recognize the consul. An exequatur may be withdrawn, which necessitates a consul's recall.[1]
An exequatur is alegal instrument issued by secular authorities inRoman Catholic nations to guarantee the legal force ofpapal decrees within the jurisdiction of the secular authority. This custom began during theWestern Schism, when the legitimately electedSupreme Pontiff permitted secular leaders to verify the authenticity of papal decrees before enforcing them.
Some dissidents[who?] in the church claim that the custom arose as an implication of the nature of secular authority over the church, and that such a state privilege to verify papal doctrine had been exercised since the early days of the church. However, church doctrine denies that any permission from secular authority is necessary for papal decrees to be legally effective, even though secular authorities sometimes do not enforce them.[2]
In Brazilian, Romanian, French, Luxembourgish, Italian (via theCourt of Appeal), Mexican, and Spanish laws, an exequatur is a judgment of atribunal that a decision issued by a foreign tribunal is to be executed in the jurisdiction of the former, thereby granting authority to the decision of the foreign tribunal as if it issued from the native tribunal.[citation needed]
InPuerto Rico, an exequatur is a document that validates acourt order of a United Statescivil court as if a court of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico issued it.[3]