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• magistrate's court
  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.
• magistrates' court
  magistrates' court

  noun

  (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

American  

noun

1. a court having limited jurisdiction over minor civil and criminal matters, as matters of contract not exceeding a particular amount of money.

2. police court.

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magistrates' court British  

noun

1. (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

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Etymology

Origin of magistrate's court

First recorded in 1865–70

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

magistrate's court magistrates' court

He appeared alongside seven congregants before a magistrate's court on Thursday.

From BBC ● Mar. 14, 2024

The defense had earlier disputed whether the magistrate's court had extraterritorial jurisdiction over the posts she published aboard, but they abandoned the dispute as she didn't remove the content.

From Reuters ● Nov. 3, 2023

The move by a magistrate’s court follows similar actions in early August against Apple and the Wikimedia Foundation that hosts Wikipedia.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 17, 2023

The two men appeared in a magistrate's court in the South African city of Bloemfontein.

From BBC ● Apr. 11, 2023

The first stage took place in a magistrate’s court.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

Citing irregular procedures it referred the case back to a magistrates' court, allowing them to submit new evidence.

From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2025

The judge said the case was too serious and complex to be dealt with in the magistrates' court and would be sent to the crown court.

From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2025

The vast majority of those cases were processed through the magistrates' court which has lower sentencing powers.

From BBC ● Jul. 3, 2025

"But after hearing the new CPS guidance, that they're pushing to get more people through magistrates' court rather than having to wait for crown court, it makes me more hopeful."

From BBC ● May 21, 2025

There was a large town hall with a magistrates' court, where the bench sat every month once.

From A Book of Ghosts by Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)