supreme court
Top judicial body
A supreme court is the highest court in a judicial system, from which no appeal to a higher authority is possible.
Many countries and most U.S. states have a court by this name that serves as the final arbiter of legal disputes: The case went all the way to the state supreme court.
The term can also describe any court of ultimate jurisdiction, regardless of its official name. (Capitalized Supreme Court refers specifically to the U.S. federal court.)
jurisdiction
Legal authority's scope
- courtsdistrict courts, federal courts, circuit courts, municipal courts, trial courts
- legal systemattorney, landmark cases, criminal cases, lawyers, legal precedents
- court termscourts, judge, judges, trial, trials
- official gatheringsparliament, senate, council, legislature, convention
- common lawprecedent, binding precedent, case law, precedents, English law
- courtroomjudge, jury, oath taking, lawyer, bench
supreme courtlower court
Tribunal subject to appeal
trial court · district court · municipal court · traffic court · small claims court
supreme courtlegislature
Lawmaking governmental branch
Congress · executive branch · parliament · administrative agency · regulatory body
supreme courtarbitration
Non-court binding dispute resolution
mediation · kangaroo court · people's court · vigilante justice · lynch mob
court, supreme, courteous, courtship, courting, supremacy, courthouse, courtly, courtroom