Legal Definitions - term of court

A term of court refers to a specific, designated period during which a court is officially open and actively conducting its judicial business. This includes hearing cases, holding trials, issuing orders, and performing other legal functions. Courts often operate on a fixed schedule, with these terms established by law or court rules, allowing for the organized management of the judicial calendar.

• Example 1: A state's highest court, such as its Supreme Court, might announce that its "Fall Term" begins on the first Monday of October and concludes at the end of December. During this specific period, the justices will actively hear oral arguments for cases on appeal, deliberate, and issue written opinions. This illustrates a defined operational window for specific judicial activities, with the court fully engaged in its appellate duties.

• Example 2: A county's circuit court might have several terms throughout the year, such as a "Winter Term" from January to March, a "Spring Term" from April to June, and so on. If a lawyer needs to file a critical motion that requires immediate judicial review, they would ensure it's submitted during an active term of court, as the court's full complement of judges and staff are available to process and hear matters during these designated periods. This demonstrates the practical implication for legal proceedings, highlighting when the court is fully operational for new business.

• Example 3: Historically, and in some current legal systems, the "term of court" could impact the finality of a judgment. For instance, a court might have the authority to reconsider or modify its own judgment only within the same term of court in which it was originally issued. Once that term concluded, the judgment would become final and generally unchangeable by that court, requiring an appeal to a higher court for any further review. This highlights how the concept can define the scope of a court's power over its own decisions within a specific timeframe.