district court
Americannoun
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(in many states) the court of general jurisdiction.
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the federal trial court sitting in each district of the United States.
noun
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(in Scotland) a court of summary jurisdiction held by a stipendiary magistrate or one or more justices of the peace to deal with minor criminal offences
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a federal trial court serving a federal judicial district
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(in some states) a court having general jurisdiction in a state judicial district
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Former name: magistrates' court. (in Australia and New Zealand) a court lower than a high court
Etymology
Origin of district court
An Americanism dating back to 1780–90
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.
Lawsuits challenging the orders arrived quickly in the D.C. federal district court.
From Slate • May 15, 2026
The construction-equipment complaint is filed in the same northern Illinois district court as the farm-equipment case.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026
Cole Allen, 31, entered the not guilty plea during an appearance before Judge Trevor McFadden in a federal district court in the nation's capital.
From Barron's • May 11, 2026
Judges at a district court in Hanover ruled in his favour, and said the family of four were entitled to a larger refund on their package holiday as it had been "defective".
From BBC • May 6, 2026
The driver’s grandfather had recently retired as a district court judge, which gave the accident an extra public layer.
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
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.
