police court

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

noun

1. See magistrates' court
   another name for magistrates' court
2. See district court
   (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

Word History and Origins

Origin of police court¹

First recorded in 1815–25

Example Sentences

In July, police court filings revealed that Cellebrite’s phone hacking technology has been used to break into 4,000 phones of Hong Kong citizens, including prominent pro-democracy politician and activist Joshua Wong.

From MIT Technology Review

In 1827 Charles d'Estourny was sentenced by the police court for habitual fraud in gambling.

From Project Gutenberg

Adultery drives to the police court in a carriage instead of standing at the bar to be tried.

From Project Gutenberg

But good came out of it all as she witnessed a grand confession to the police court and people who never heard the gospel.

From Project Gutenberg

The theft of the records from the police court occurred about ten days after the World had printed the Clarke-Tyler story.

From Project Gutenberg

As an instance in the belief of unholy prayers, we give an episode in the Leith police court in 1878.

From Project Gutenberg