HCEO

High Court Enforcement Officers, otherwise known as HCEOs, are officers of the High Court of England and Wales. They are empowered to enforce judgements and final adjudications made by the High Court. This most commonly refers to the repossessing of property or seizure of goods. They may only exert their authority in England and Wales. HCEOs work under the authority of the Lord Chancellor. They are specifically assigned to a single enforcement district. Prior to the Courts Act 2003, they were under the jurisdiction of the High Sheriff, and as such were called Sheriff’s Officers. At this time, they could only act on writs (written commands by the court) for the High Sheriff. Since the Courts Act, HCEOs are now fully responsible for these writs. HCEOs may sometimes be confused with bailiffs, but there are some significant differences. The most prominent is the difference in authority. Bailiffs are agents of the lower courts, whereas HCEOs represent the High Court. This gives them considerably more power. Most notably, HCEOs do not need to notify a party prior to property seizure, and they can enter commercial properties in any way they see fit. Once inside the property, HCEOs cannot be removed by force.