trial court

noun

: the court before which issues of fact and law are first determined as distinguished from an appellate court

Examples of trial court in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The case initially was filed in California’s 3rd District Court of Appeal, but judges there declined to review it, saying the case first should proceed through the trial court. — Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2026

The appeals court ultimately did not rule on whether Section 230 bars those claims, but concluded that the appeal was premature because the trial court’s ruling was not final. — Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 11 Aug. 2026

The California Supreme Court on Monday ordered trial courts to provide a way for people who cannot afford a court reporter to create an official record of their civil cases, including through electronic recordings when a reporter is unavailable. — Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 11 Aug. 2026

Parents, school districts, states and other plaintiffs had argued that the trial court’s ruling was not final and therefore could not be appealed. — Reuters, NBC news, 10 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1889, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for trial court

• abort
• airport
• alport
• athwart
• carport
• comport
• consort
• deport
• disport
• distort
• escort
• exhort

Legal Definition

trial court

noun

: the court before which issues of fact and law are tried and first determined as distinguished from an appellate court