Legal Definitions - JCP

Definition: JCP stands for Justice of the Common Pleas. It refers to a court that has jurisdiction over real actions and common pleas, which are actions between subjects.

• In the past, the Court of Common Pleas was presided over by a chief justice with four or five puisne judges. It later became the Common Pleas Division of the High Court of Justice and merged into the Queen's Bench Division.
• In some states, such as Arkansas, JCP is an intermediate-level court.
• In other states, such as Ohio, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina, JCP is a trial court of general jurisdiction.

These examples illustrate how JCP can refer to different types of courts depending on the jurisdiction. In general, JCP has the power to hear cases related to common law and civil disputes between individuals or entities.