Court — in plain language

Plain language

a place where judges or magistrates listen to legal arguments and make decisions about disputes, crimes, or rights — it can also mean the group of judges themselves

• judge's office
• tribunal
• place where legal decisions are made
• group of judges

What to watch for

• In legal writing, judges often refer to themselves as 'the court' in the third person ('the court finds...'). Non-lawyers may not realize this means the judge is speaking about themselves and their decision.
• The word 'court' can mean either the physical building or the judges who work there. Context determines which meaning applies, and translators must choose the appropriate plain-language equivalent.
• Older legal documents may use 'court' to mean a legislative or royal assembly rather than a judicial tribunal. The plain-language translation must reflect the historical context.
• Phrases like 'in court' or 'to court' have different meanings — one refers to legal proceedings, the other to romantic pursuit. The context must be clear in translation.

Physical Place vs. Group of Judges. The word "court" has two related meanings that translators need to distinguish. It can mean the physical building where legal proceedings happen, or it can mean the judge or panel of judges making the decisions. When a judge says "the court finds..." they are referring to themselves and their colleagues, not the building.

Third-Person References by Judges. Judges often use "the court" instead of "I" when writing decisions. This formal style can confuse non-lawyers who don't realize the judge is speaking about their own decision. Plain-language translations should make it clear that the judge is the one making the ruling.

Jurisdictional Variations. Different types of courts exist (supreme courts, district courts, family courts, etc.), each with different powers and responsibilities. The plain-language translation should reflect the specific type of court when this distinction matters to the document's meaning.

Legal definition

A court is a place where judges or magistrates listen to arguments from both sides of a dispute and make decisions about what should happen next. These decisions might involve determining who wins a lawsuit, what punishment someone should receive for a crime, or how property should be divided. The word "court" can also refer to the group of judges themselves when they are making these decisions together.

Meanings by context

everyday English: A royal household or social event — not related to legal proceedings at all.

historical English law: The group of judges sitting together as a legal body.

Examples

Where you'll see it

• court filings
• legal proceedings
• judicial decisions
• court orders
• appellate briefs

Related terms

• judge
• tribunal
• bench
• magistrate
• jury
• hearing
• trial

Word details

Pronunciation

kohrt

Part of speech

noun

Origin

Anglo-French — from Latin 'cohors' via Old French 'corte' — enclosed space, royal household

Domains

criminal law, civil litigation, family law, administrative law, contract law, constitutional law

Frequency

very common

Formality

high