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circuit court

American  

noun

  1. a court holding sessions at various intervals in different sections of a judicial district.

  2. (initial capital letters) the court of general jurisdiction in a number of U.S. states.


Etymology

Origin of circuit court

An Americanism dating back to 1700–10


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:

In the event that Frimpong grants the injunction, Mummolo asked her to stay the order by 14 days so they could consider appealing the ruling to the 9th circuit court.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026

David Davis, then a circuit court judge and later a Supreme Court justice, managed Lincoln’s candidacy at the Chicago convention.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026

As part of the settlement agreement, Moderna will appeal to a federal circuit court to argue that it has limited liability as a government contractor.

From Barron's ● Mar. 4, 2026

Instead, he spent most of his career as a federal prosecutor and as a judge in a Missouri state circuit court.

From Salon ● Feb. 18, 2026

After those arrests, a local circuit court judge, James A. Hare, issued an injunction forbidding public gatherings of more than three people.

From "Because They Marched" by Russell Freedman

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