Daily AncestorCourt of common pleas
A court of common pleas is a trial court for civil suits between private people; in the U.S. the name survives in Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Delaware.
The name comes from the English Court of Common Pleas at Westminster, which heard civil disputes between subjects that did not involve the king. American colonies and states copied it.
Today courts of common pleas exist in Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Delaware, each with different powers; New York and New Jersey once had them too. In Ohio and Pennsylvania they are main trial courts, and probate (Ohio) and the orphans' court (Pennsylvania) are now divisions of them, so family lawsuits and estates may lead you there.
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Court of common pleas." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/legal-land/court-of-common-pleas. Last checked 2026-10-12.