Legal Definitions - basement court

Definition: A basement court is a slang term used to describe a low-level court that has limited jurisdiction. Examples of basement courts include police courts, traffic courts, municipal courts, and small-claims courts.

Examples:

• A person who receives a traffic ticket may have to appear in a basement court to contest the ticket.
• If someone sues another person for a small amount of money, the case may be heard in a basement court.

The examples illustrate the definition of basement court by showing that these types of courts handle cases that are considered minor or less serious. They are often located in the basement of a courthouse or government building and have limited authority compared to higher-level courts.