district court

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

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of district court¹

An Americanism dating back to 1780–90

Example Sentences

District Court in Los Angeles on Tuesday claims that Edison was negligent in designing, constructing and maintaining its high-voltage transmission line that runs through Sylmar.

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In dissent, Sotomayor noted that the district court had found “direct record evidence that students felt coerced to participate,” and included photographs of the coach leading prayers midfield.

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Attorney General Pam Bondi vowed to appeal what she called a “woefully insufficient sentence imposed by the district court, which does not reflect the horrific facts of this case.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

In early October, the Helsinki district court ruled that the case was beyond Finnish jurisdiction, and it would be up to the vessel's flag state or the defendants' home countries to try them -- the ship captain is Georgian, and its two senior officers are Georgian and Indian.

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It said the Deputy Prosecutor General would "appeal the Helsinki District Court's decision to rule inadmissible" the charges of cable breaches outside Finnish waters.

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