circuit court

noun

: a court that sits at two or more places within one judicial district

Examples of circuit court in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The government has appealed both decisions to circuit courts. Bart Jansen, USA Today, 22 July 2025 But Maryland argues that its permit would need to be appealed through the state courts, which would involve filing a challenge at the appropriate circuit court — in this case in Worcester County. Christine Condon, Baltimore Sun, 20 July 2025 There’s also no record or court date for Brown in the database of Miami-Dade circuit court records. Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 10 July 2025 Echols' attorneys petitioned the circuit court in January 2022 to permit M-Vac wet-vacuum DNA testing on sneaker laces that were used to hogtie the 8-year-old victims -- Christopher Byers, Steve Branch and Michael Moore -- in the triple murder case that got nationwide attention. Bill Bowden, Arkansas Online, 27 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for circuit court

Word History

First Known Use

1708, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of circuit court was in 1708

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Cite this Entry

“Circuit court.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/circuit%20court. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.

Legal Definition

circuit court

noun
: a court that sits in more than one place in a judicial district: as
a
: a state court usually with original jurisdiction and sometimes with appellate jurisdiction
b
: any of the federal courts of appeals
not used technically

Note: Before 1948, the U.S. Courts of Appeals were known as Circuit Courts of Appeals.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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