A Tennessee ATTACHMENTS — Writ of Attachment (with fiat) is a legal document issued by a court in the state of Tennessee. The writ is a court order requiring a defendant to appear in court and answer to a debt or other legal obligation. The writ is also known as a writ of garnishment or attachment. The writ of attachment is a court order to a third party, such as a bank or employer, to withhold or turn over property, money, or other assets belonging to a defendant to satisfy the debt or obligation. The writ is issued with a fiat, which is a document signed by the court authorizing the attachment. In Tennessee, there are two types of writs of attachment: general and special. A general writ of attachment is used when a defendant fails to appear in court or fails to obey a court order. A special writ of attachment is used to secure payment of a debt or other obligation by a defendant. The writ of attachment must be served on the defendant, as well as the third party to whom the writ is directed. The writ must also be published at least once a week for four consecutive weeks in an approved newspaper. Once the writ is served and published, the defendant must appear in court to answer the debt or obligation.