Crossword Genius

Warrant finally delivered here prior to court action (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

deserve

'warrant' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)

'finally delivered here prior to court action' is the wordplay.
'finally' indicates one should take the final letters.
'prior to' says to put letters next to each other.
'court action' becomes 'serve' (a serve is an action on a tennis court).
The last letters of 'delivered here' are 'de'.
'de'+'serve'='DESERVE'

(Other definitions for deserve that I've seen before include "Be entitled to" , "Be worth" , "Merit, earn" , "Severed (anag)" , "Warrant" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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