police court

An inferior court having the power to hear the trial of minor criminal offenses and violations of local ordinances.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

police court

1. (Law) another name for magistrates' court

2. (Law) (in Scotland, formerly) a burgh court with limited jurisdiction, presided over by lay magistrates or a stipendiary magistrate: replaced in 1975 by the district court. See also district court

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

police′ court`

an inferior court empowered to try persons accused of minor offenses and to hold those charged with more serious crimes for trial in superior court.

[1815–25]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

police court - a court that has power to prosecute for minor offenses and to bind over for trial in a superior court anyone accused of serious offenses

court, judicature, tribunal - an assembly (including one or more judges) to conduct judicial business

law, jurisprudence - the collection of rules imposed by authority; "civilization presupposes respect for the law"; "the great problem for jurisprudence to allow freedom while enforcing order"

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References in classic literature

At the police court, next morning, under bail, appeared Carter Watson to answer the complaint of the People Versus Carter Watson, for the latter's assault and battery on one Patsy Horan.

It was a social experience of a new order, and it led to the writing of another book, which he entitled, "POLICE COURT PROCEDURE: A Tentative Analysis."

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At the police court proceedings, we shall hear the case for the prosecution, but in all probability his solicitors will advise him to reserve his defence.

I will not go into the details of the police court proceedings, as it involves many tiresome repetitions.

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The scene is lively, is picturesque, and smells like a police court. The Jewish money-changers have their dens close at hand, and all day long are counting bronze coins and transferring them from one bushel basket to another.

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And then father was arrested for attempted assault, fined in the police court, and bound over to keep the peace.

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"Three months on the Island," said the Magistrate in the Police Court the next morning.

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I might find myself taken off, at a moment's notice, to the police court at Frizinghall, to be charged on suspicion, and searched accordingly.

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In the morning Jurgis was given a cup of water and a piece of bread, and then hustled into a patrol wagon and driven to the nearest police court. He sat in the pen with a score of others until his turn came.

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The fact that he had stood up in the police court with his eyes blacked from some other fray was noted.

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I appeared at the police court, and, questioned by the magistrate, I told my story truly.

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I cannot think they will help to refine the ragamuffins if they read them, and I'm sure they can do no good to the better class of boys, who through these books are introduced to police courts, counterfeiters' dens, gambling houses, drinking saloons, and all sorts of low life."

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