court of common pleas

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court of common pleas

n. pl. courts of common pleas

1. A court in some states of the United States having general jurisdiction.

2. A court in Great Britain that formerly heard commoners' civil cases.

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.

Court of Common Pleas

1. (Law) English law (formerly) a superior court exercising jurisdiction in civil actions between private citizens

2. (Law) law US (in some states) a court exercising original and general jurisdiction

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

court′ of com′mon pleas′

1. (formerly in England) a court to hear civil cases between common citizens.

2. (in some U.S. states) a court with general civil jurisdiction.

[1680–90]

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References in periodicals archive ?

The original likeness of Sir Edward Lutwyche, Judge of Common Pleas and Chief Justice of Chester is still there.

A Doomsday Book mention

5 Respectively, William Fairfax, a judge of Common Pleas, and George Manners, whom Margoliouth identifies as "a distinguished soldier who died at the siege of Tournay in 1513" (Marvell, 1971, 1:283, note to line 232).

Preserving property: history, genealogy, and inheritance in "Upon Appleton House."

Among early distinguished residents were several Lord Mayors, a Lord Chief Justice, a Judge of Common Pleas, a governor of Highgate School and a number of well-heeled merchants.