court of common pleas: Meaning and Definition of

court' of com'mon pleas'

Pronunciation: [key]
— Law. Law.
  1. (formerly in England) a court to hear civil cases between common citizens.
  2. (in some U.S. states) a court with general civil jurisdiction.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.