nisi prius
[ nahy-sahy prahy-uh s, nee-see pree-uh s ]
/ ˈnaɪ saɪ ˈpraɪ əs, ˈni si ˈpri əs /
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.
Nearby words
- nisgul,
- nish,
- nishapur,
- nishinomiya,
- nisi,
- niskin bottle,
- nissan,
- nissen hut,
- nissl substance,
- nistru
Origin of nisi prius
1300–50; Middle English < Latin: literally, unless previously, unless before
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
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
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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