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

District, circuit courts called Idaho law unconstitutional Hecox filed the lawsuit in April 2020, shortly after Idaho legislators passed the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act, which banned transgender women and girls from playing on women’s sports teams. —Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 8 Sep. 2025

Congress was then compelled to create district court judgeships and circuit court judgeships to relieve the Supreme Court of the burden of being everything to everybody in the federal courts. —John E. Jones Iii, The Conversation, 5 Sep. 2025

Now, a legal fight funded by outside groups and playing out in a county circuit court next week could chip away at this protection. —Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2025

Yarbrough is a felon with no valid firearm owners’ identification card or conceal and carry license, according to Cook County circuit court filings. —Olivia Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 2 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1708, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for circuit court

• heliport
• nonsupport
• reexport
• teleport
• ultrashort
• abort
• airport
• alport
• athwart
• carport
• comport
• consort

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.