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.
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magistrate's court
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magistrates' court
magistrates' courtnoun(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
Americannoun
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a court having limited jurisdiction over minor civil and criminal matters, as matters of contract not exceeding a particular amount of money.
magistrates' court
British
noun
Etymology
Origin of magistrate's court
First recorded in 1865–70
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:
Melkisedek Kaijage, who works at the University of Dodoma, had appeared at a magistrate's court to request bail after spending 15 days in police custody when the charges were changed.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
They appeared at a magistrate's court in Eswatini on Tuesday.
From BBC ● Feb. 28, 2024
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
Chow Hang-tung, 38, a prominent Hong Kong pro-democracy activist and former vice-chairperson of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China, was among those convicted by a magistrate's court.
From Reuters ● Mar. 11, 2023
The first stage took place in a magistrate’s court.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Connor Bishop, 24, Reece Robinson, 21, and Noah Etherington, 18, all admitted to the charge during magistrates' court hearings in Southampton and Portsmouth.
From BBC ● Jun. 5, 2026
At the magistrates' court hearing, the boy spoke to confirm his name, age and address and enter his 16 not guilty pleas to the following charges:
From BBC ● May 2, 2026
The firm now faces being fined when sentenced at the magistrates' court on 2 June.
From BBC ● Mar. 4, 2026
He was told he was not going to be asked to enter any pleas because the offences are too serious to be dealt with by the magistrates' court.
From BBC ● Nov. 10, 2025
The two wounded men were informed that a magistrates' court was sitting, but evinced no anxiety to lodge a complaint against any person or persons in connection with their injuries.
From Two Knapsacks A Novel of Canadian Summer Life by John Campbell
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.
