district court

American  

noun

U.S. Law.

1. (in many states) the court of general jurisdiction.

2. the federal trial court sitting in each district of the United States.

---

district court British  

noun

1. (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

2. 1. a federal trial court serving a federal judicial district

   2. (in some states) a court having general jurisdiction in a state judicial district

3. 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

A D.C. district court blocked the provision requiring documentary proof of citizenship in October.

From Salon • Apr. 1, 2026

The trial at Oslo district court has lasted almost seven weeks and every day of evidence has been front-page news in Norway.

From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026

Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana when it became clear that ConocoPhillips, whose stock he owns, remained a party to the case at the district court level.

From Slate • Mar. 17, 2026

Meanwhile, an Ohio district court ruled this week against Kalshi.

From Barron's • Mar. 11, 2026

Armstrong’s lawyers thus filed a motion asking the district court for discovery of the prosecutors’ files to support their claim of selective prosecution under the Fourteenth Amendment.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander