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police court

American  

noun

  1. an inferior court with summary jurisdiction for the trial of persons accused of any of certain minor offenses, and with power to examine those charged with more serious offenses and hold them for trial in a superior court or for a grand jury.


police court British  

noun

  1. another name for magistrates' court

  2. (in Scotland, formerly) a burgh court with limited jurisdiction, presided over by lay magistrates or a stipendiary magistrate: replaced in 1975 by the district court See also district court

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of police court

First recorded in 1815–25

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:

Everyone - press, police, court staff, and likely the parties involved - are prepared for an intense week ahead.

From BBC May 20, 2024

She followed him and called Vancouver police, court records state.

From Seattle Times Nov. 30, 2022

The woman screamed for help, and the physician’s neighbor called Newport police, court documents say.

From Los Angeles Times Sep. 21, 2018

This would require the development of a government-wide information technology system that would check the names of those with security clearances against various databases, such as police, court and credit records.

From Washington Post Mar. 25, 2014

Not a word about the police court proceedings; no black looks!

From The Honour of the Clintons by Archibald Marshall

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