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Law vocabulary · Courts & Judges

Court

Meaning in law, with examples

/kɔːt/nounCore term

In law, court means: A place or institution where judges hear legal disputes and decide them according to the law; the word can also mean the judges themselves.

In Turkish: mahkeme, yargı yeri

How it is used

Used constantly in practice: you 'go to court', 'take someone to court' or 'settle out of court'. Sentences such as 'the court held that…' refer to the judge or judges who decided the case.

Example sentences

  1. If they refuse to pay, we will take them to court.

  2. The court held that the dismissal was unfair.

  3. The parties settled out of court a week before the hearing.

Common collocations

  • go to court
  • take someone to court
  • settle out of court
  • court hearing
  • the court held
  • judgeA public official who runs a court hearing, listens to both sides and decides the case, or tells the jury how the law applies.
  • jurisdictionThe official power of a court to hear and decide a case; also the country, state or area where a particular set of laws applies.
  • supreme courtThe highest court in a country or state, whose decisions on legal questions usually bind lower courts and cannot be appealed any further.
  • court of appealA court that reviews the decisions of lower courts when a party says the judge made a mistake, and can confirm, change or cancel those decisions.
  • tribunalA body set up to hear and decide particular kinds of disputes, such as employment or tax cases, often less formal than an ordinary court; also an arbitration panel.

More terms: Courts & Judges

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not legal advice.