magistrate's court
noun
a court having limited jurisdiction over minor civil and criminal matters, as matters of contract not exceeding a particular amount of money.
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magistrate's court
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magistrates' court
magistrates' courtnoun(in England) a court of summary jurisdiction held before two or more justices of the peace or a stipendiary magistrate to deal with minor crimes, certain civil actions, and preliminary hearings
magistrate's court
Americannoun
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a court having limited jurisdiction over minor civil and criminal matters, as matters of contract not exceeding a particular amount of money.
magistrates' court
British
noun
Etymology
Origin of magistrate's court
First recorded in 1865–70
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The accused appeared in a magistrate's court in the capital city Pretoria on Tuesday and were granted bail.
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2025
They appeared at a magistrate's court in Eswatini on Tuesday.
From BBC ● Feb. 28, 2024
In Russia, a magistrate’s court typically handles administrative violations and low-level criminal cases.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 17, 2023
On Thursday, a magistrate’s court issued orders blocking him, his son Namal and other key allies from leaving the country, lawyers present at the hearing said.
From Reuters ● May 12, 2022
The first stage took place in a magistrate’s court.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Omar Majed, from Birmingham, gave no indication of plea to a charge of communicating false information to police and was remanded in custody at the city's magistrates' court.
From BBC ● May 4, 2026
Lawyers for SWW said the utility pleaded guilty at the first instance and it was not a complex case that the magistrates' court could not deal with.
From BBC ● Mar. 4, 2026
The firm now faces being fined when sentenced at the magistrates' court on 2 June.
From BBC ● Mar. 4, 2026
However, this would require multiple extensions from senior police officers and a magistrates' court.
From BBC ● Feb. 19, 2026
The two wounded men were informed that a magistrates' court was sitting, but evinced no anxiety to lodge a complaint against any person or persons in connection with their injuries.
From Two Knapsacks A Novel of Canadian Summer Life by John Campbell
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
