nisi prius
[ nahy-sahy -prahy-uhs, nee-see -pree-uhs ]
/ ˈnaɪ saɪ ˈpraɪ əs, ˈni si ˈpri əs /
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noun Law.
Also called nisi prius court . a trial court for the hearing of civil cases before a judge and jury.
British Law.
- a writ commanding a sheriff of a county to summon a jury and bring it to the court in Westminster on a certain day, unless the judges of assizes previously came to that county.
- the clause with the words “nisi prius” introducing this writ.
- the system of judicial circuits to which judges are assigned for local trials of civil and criminal cases.
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Origin of nisi prius
1300–50; Middle English <Latin: literally, unless previously, unless before
OTHER WORDS FROM nisi prius
nisi-prius, adjectiveWords nearby nisi prius
nisgul, nish, Nishapur, Nishinomiya, nisi, nisi prius, Niskin bottle, Nissen hut, Nissl substance, Nistru, nisus
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for nisi prius
British Dictionary definitions for nisi prius
nisi prius
/ (ˈpraɪəs) /
noun
English legal history
- a direction that a case be brought up to Westminster for trial before a single judge and a jury
- the writ giving this direction
- trial before the justices taking the assizes
(in the US) a court where civil actions are tried by a single judge sitting with a jury, as distinguished from an appellate court
Word Origin for nisi prius
C15: from Latin: unless previously
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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