divorce court
8
3.7
- noun
- /dɪˈvɔrs kɔrt/
- Formal
:
tribunal de divorcio
- In divorce court, the judge mediated discussions about child custody and division of assets.
- divorce court judge
- go to divorce court
- end up in divorce court
Examples
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"At the divorce court," Kirby says, "I had to go down there alone and sign the papers."
Fiction book (1992) -
"The question therefore is, what is Aghdas Zare trying to achieve in the British divorce court?"
Blog text (16) -
By the looks of things on the show, I thought they were heading to divorce court.
Blog text (3) -
Divorce court, city of Chicago, is still in session.
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For now, her fortune is safe and sound, as assets earned before marriage are considered separate property in divorce court.
Blog text (1) -
Didn't you tell the truth in divorce court, about being a good mom and all?
-
I can foresee more and more wrangling in divorce courts.
Blog text (23) -
Questions of fatherhood are a staple of dramatic conflict, whether in Greek tragedy, soap opera, or divorce court.
Academic text (2005) -
In Vermont, for instance, gay couples who have joined in civil unions also have access to the state's divorce courts—but only if they meet a six-month residency requirement under the same-sex union law.
Academic text (2004) -
While a statute already in effect extends a limited number of rights to same-sex couples under California law, the new law will include such protections as access to divorce courts for dissolution of long-term relationships and for obligations relating to children, financial support during and after the relationship, community property rights, and consent for autopsies and the disposition of remains.
Academic text (2004)
Synonyms
∞
1.4
A place where a judge hears and decides legal cases
22
3.0
A court that deals with family problems like divorce and child custody
A court that deals with family problems like divorce, child custody, and support
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning ('a court that handles divorces') is directly and transparently derived from combining 'divorce' (termination of marriage) with 'court' (a forum for legal decisions); the modifier–head compound clearly specifies the type of court. This compositional pattern is common cross-linguistically and follows normal English noun–noun modification, so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Divorce court comes from joining divorce and court to make a clear picture: divorce means 'to end a marriage' and court is the place where a judge decides. That's why the phrase means the special court where a judge legally ends a marriage and sorts out children and property.