high court

plural high courts

1. commonlawA supreme court; a court to which final appeals may be taken.

   Compared with most Latin American courts, on paper the Argentine judiciary is among the most insulated high courts in the region.

   2004, Gretchen Helmke, Courts under Constraints: Judges, Generals, and Presidents in Argentina

   4 more examples

   But if the eyes of people could be opened in regard to the evils and delusions of war, would it not be easy to form a confederacy of nations, and organize a high court of equity, to decide national controversies?

   1833, Noah Worcester, A solemn review of the custom of war, page 7

   The judicial power is vested in three high courts consisting of four judges each, and having concurrent jurisdiction in all civil matters; and in a great number of inferior municipal courts.

   1840, Samuel Perkins, The World as it is: Containing a View of the Present Condition of Its Principal Nations

   The prince was appearing at the high court to give evidence against the publisher of the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and People tabloids.

   2023 June 6, Jim Waterson, Kiran Stacey, “Britain’s government and press at rock bottom, Prince Harry tells court”, in The Guardian, →ISSN

   At the High Court in Aberdeen in September, NR pleaded guilty to a series of failings, including failing to tell the driver that it was unsafe to drive the train at the 75mph line speed.

   2023 October 18, “Network News: Carmont: NR pays nearly £1m in out-of-court settlements”, in RAIL, number 994, page 15

   Synonyms: court of last resort

2. A superior court; a court of general competence which typically has unlimited jurisdiction with regard to civil and criminal legal cases.
3. In some countriesa provincial or state supreme court