from
Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856)
QUO MINUS. The name of a writ. In England, when the king's debtor is sued in
the court of the exchequer, he may sue out a writ of quo minus, in which he
suggests that he is the king's debtor, and that the defendant has done him
the injury or damage complained of, quo minus sufficiens existit, by which
he is less able to pay the king's debt. This was originally requisite in
order to give jurisdiction to the court of exchequer, but now this
suggestion is a mere form. 3 Bl. Com. 46.