criminal court

noun

: a court that has jurisdiction to try and punish offenders against criminal law

Examples of criminal 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 burden of proof is much higher in a criminal court than in a Title IX proceeding. Kelly Meyerhofer, jsonline.com, 16 July 2025 Soliman and his Cleveland attorney Robert Ratliff will attend the hearing virtually, Ratliff told The Enquirer. Judge likely to set timeline for case, attorney says The hearing will be similar to an arraignment in criminal court, Ratliff said via email. Patricia Gallagher Newberry, The Enquirer, 14 July 2025 Emil Bove attends Manhattan criminal court during Trump's sentencing in the hush money case in New York, Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 June 2025 In 2023, a U.S. appeals court ruled that immigration authorities don’t need to read Miranda rights to non-citizens when they are arrested because deportation proceedings are through civil and not criminal court, Reuters previously reported. Lesley Cosme Torres, People.com, 23 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for criminal court

Word History

First Known Use

1605, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of criminal court was in 1605

Cite this Entry

“Criminal court.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/criminal%20court. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

Legal Definition

criminal court

noun
: a court that has jurisdiction to try criminal defendants

More from Merriam-Webster on criminal court

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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