a direction that a case be brought up to Westminster for trial before a single judge and a jury
b.
the writ giving this direction
c.
trial before the justices taking the assizes
2.
(in the US) a court where civil actions are tried by a single judge sitting with a jury, as distinguished from an appellate court
Word origin
C15: from Latin: unless previously
nisi prius in American English
(ˈpraɪəs)
any of various courts in which a cause of action may be originally tried before a jury
Word origin
L, unless before: used orig. in a writ directing a sheriff to summon a jury to Westminsteron a certain date “unless before” that date the trial had been held in his own county