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first instance

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First Instance

The initial trial court where an action is brought.

A court of first instance is distinguishable from an appellate court, which is a court of last instance. In the federal court system, a federal district court is a court of first instance, whereas the Supreme Court is the court of last instance.

West's Encyclopedia of American Law, edition 2. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

first instance

first court hearing. Courts may be described as being courts of first instance if they hear or try cases as opposed to hearing appeals. See APPEAL; see also COURT OF FIRST INSTANCE.
Collins Dictionary of Law © W.J. Stewart, 2006
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References in periodicals archive
Justice Minister Bordans told the Judicial Council at the beginning of June that a new specialized court of first instance should be set up in Riga to handle cases of economic character.
The Second Instance Disciplinary Commission of the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina (HJPC BiH) issued a decision rejecting as unfounded the complaint of the HJPC Disciplinary Office to the decision of the First Instance Disciplinary Commission in disciplinary proceedings against the President if HJPC BiH Milan Tegeltija and confirms the decision of the First Instance Disciplinary Commission from June 3.
The amendments also stipulate that the Court of First Instance shall adjudicate cases expeditiously, and the competent heads of ministries, government bodies, public bodies, institutions, lawyers and adversaries shall provide the court with the necessary data, files or papers required for adjudication within one week from the date of the request.
Therefore, the Subcontractor filed a case before the Abu Dhabi Court of First Instance. The Subcontractor requested the court to terminate the Subcontract Agreement and to oblige both the Main Contractor and the Employer to settle the due payment.
25 (Saba) - The Supreme Judicial Council on Tuesday approved redistribution of spatial jurisdiction between first instance courts in Saada province temporally.
The Supreme Court rejected on Thursday the Central Bank of Cyprus's (CBC) appeal against a first instance ruling banning it from liquidating FBME Bank Ltd, opening the way for the liquidation of the lender in Tanzania where it is headquartered.
The panel of judges of the Supreme Court canceled the rulings of courts of two instances and the case was returned to the first instance court over procedural irregularities.
Summary: Nagpur (Maharashtra) [India], Feb 6 (ANI): In what may be the first instance, a tiger in Maharashtra will be getting a prosthetic limb, with the joint efforts of Maharashtra Animal and Fisheries Science University (MAFSU) and a leading orthopaedic surgeon of Nagpur.
Summary: The First Instance Body reviewed its final report and the body decided to deny Al Ain, Bani Yas, Dibba, Ittihad Kalba and Hatta licensing after they failed to meet some of the regulations' criteria
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