Mandamus A writ or court order directing a public official to perform his official duty. A writ of mandamus may be used, for example, to force a mayor to attend his town hall meetings or to require the clerk of court to give you access to a file that is part of the local public records. Mandamus from a higher court can be used to cause a lower court to enter an order instead of continuing to sit on your case.
Mandamus can direct any public official, any branch.
The President of the United States should be subject to mandamus by the U.S. Supreme Court, and every judge, governor, lieutenant governor, comptroller, court clerk, sheriff, and all other officers of each state should be subject to the mandamus of their state's supreme court. Mandamus is a very powerful writ. The power of mandamus issues only by a court, however it belongs to the people. The power is yours. You have a right to ask the court to issue a writ of mandamus for you anytime a situation warrants it.