federal court

noun

: a court established by a federal government
especially : one established under the constitution and laws of the U.S.

Examples of federal court in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Today, a federal court halted it before this administration could wreak havoc on our elections. Oren Oppenheim, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026 For the federal court in Miami, the next big step after the bail decision is to hold a hearing to determine whether the legal criteria for extradition have been met. Bill Chappell, NPR, 27 Aug. 2026 The battle in federal court is over Trump putting his name on the façade, which a judge ordered removed. Bart Jansen, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026 According to an information document filed in federal court on July 31, Laser was listed as the owner and operator of Laser Chiropractic LLC. Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 27 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for federal court

Word History

First Known Use

1789, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of federal court was in 1789

Cite this Entry

“Federal court.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/federal%20court. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Legal Definition

federal court

noun
: a court established by the federal government and having jurisdiction over questions of federal law
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