superior court

American  

noun

1. the court of general jurisdiction found in many states of the United States.

2. any court that has general jurisdiction above other courts.

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superior court British  

noun

1. (in England) a higher court not subject to control by any other court except by way of appeal See also Supreme Court of Judicature

2. (in several states) a court of general jurisdiction ranking above the inferior courts and below courts of last resort

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Etymology

Origin of superior court

An Americanism dating back to 1680–90

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

superior court

Until now, recording proceedings was prohibited in most California superior court cases, requiring a licensed reporter to be present in order take down each word that was spoken for the official record.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026

The eventual trial in the superior court tax division in 2024 lasted four days, with 10 witnesses and 200 exhibits.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 8, 2026

Any interested party — a hospital, nursing home, social worker, adult protective services, friend or relative — can file a formal petition with the local probate or superior court.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026

After attending law school, Gonzalez Rogers spent more than a decade in private practice, achieving the status of partner in her law firm before then-Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed her as a local superior court judge.

From BBC ● May 6, 2026

Several ran for public office, and there were two superior court justices, one municipal court judge, two members of the California state legislature, and one prominent state official.

From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell

Related Words

• trial court