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nisi prius court

 - 2 dictionary results

ni⋅si pri⋅us

  [nahy-sahy prahy-uhs, nee-see pree-uhs]
Use nisi prius court in a Sentence
–noun Law.
1. Also called nisi prius court. a trial court for the hearing of civil cases before a judge and jury.
2. British Law.
a. a writ commanding a sheriff of a county to summon a jury and bring it to the court in Westminster on a certain day, unless the judges of assizes previously came to that county.
b. the clause with the words “nisi prius” introducing this writ.
c. the system of judicial circuits to which judges are assigned for local trials of civil and criminal cases.
Origin:
1300–50; ME < L: lit., unless previously, unless before

Related forms:
nisi-prius, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: nisi pri·us
Pronunciation: -'prI-&s, -'prE-us
Function: noun
Etymology: Medieval Latin, unless before, the words introducing a clause in an English writ commanding a sheriff to provide a jury at the Court of Westminster on a certain day unless the judges of assize previously come to the county from which the jury is to be returned
: a court of record that tries an issue of fact before a jury and a single judge : TRIAL COURT; also : the proceedings in such a court : the conducting of jury trials nisi prius practice of the justices —W. J. Brennan, Junior>
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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