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

The governor appointed him to serve as the Palm Beach County clerk of the circuit court and comptroller in August 2025. — Zoey Thomas, Sun Sentinel, 3 Nov. 2026

The procedural dispute centers on a requirement to distribute amendment text to circuit court clerks for public posting, which lawmakers retroactively repealed. — Gabrielle M. Etzel, The Washington Examiner, 30 Oct. 2026

The school board then filed for an administrative appeal in front of a circuit court judge. — Tara Lynch, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026

Separate challenges to the law divided two federal circuit courts, which issued conflicting decisions in April, only 11 days apart. — Michael Kunzelman, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2026

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.