supreme court

noun

often capitalized S&C

1

: the highest judicial tribunal in a political unit (such as a nation or state)

2

: a court of original jurisdiction in New York state subordinate to a final court of appeals

Examples of supreme court in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Georgia passed the six-week ban in November 2022, and it was upheld by the state supreme court in 2023. —Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY, 21 Sep. 2024

Execution rescheduled from 2021 Owens’ execution had been scheduled for June 25, 2021, but the process was halted that month after the state supreme court blocked the executions of Owens and another death row inmate, Brad Sigmon, CNN previously reported. —Ashley R. Williams, CNN, 20 Sep. 2024

On the fourth Monday following the election, the Arizona secretary of state will canvass the results of elections with candidates from federal, statewide, or legislative office, state appellate court and supreme court judges, and statewide ballot measures. —Ramsey Touchberry, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 3 Sep. 2024

This week, a panel of judges on Brazil’s supreme court upheld a ruling by Justice Alexandre de Moraes that instituted a total ban on the social-media site X (formerly Twitter). —The Editors, National Review, 6 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1686, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

supreme court

noun

: the highest court in a political unit (as the U.S. or one of its states)

Legal Definition

supreme court

noun

su·​preme court

1

: the highest court in a nation or state

specifically, capitalized S&C : the highest court in the judicial branch of the U.S. government that has original jurisdiction over controversies involving ambassadors or other ministers or consuls but whose main activity is as the court of last resort exercising appellate jurisdiction over cases involving federal law

2

capitalized S&C : a court of original jurisdiction in New York

Note: The court of last resort in New York is the Court of Appeals.