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
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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on a requirement to distribute amendment text to circuit court clerks for public posting, which lawmakers retroactively repealed.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 There is no court date scheduled for Wang appearing because there is still an outstanding warrant, a circuit court spokesperson said. — Eduardo Cuevas, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026 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

Rhymes for circuit court

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Browse Nearby Words

circuit breaker
circuit court
circuit edges
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Cite this Entry

“Circuit court.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/circuit%20court. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

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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.

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