One of the courts of the United States , erected by act of congress. It consists of a chief justice and four associates, and holds one annual session. It is located at Washington. Its jurisdiction extends to all claims against the United States arising out of any contract with the government or based on an act of congress or regulation of the executive, and all claims referred to it by either house of congress, as well as to claims for exoneration by a disbursing officer. Its judgments are, in cer tain cases, reviewable by the United States supreme court . It has no equity powers. Its decisions are reported and published. This name is also given, in some of the states, either to a special court or to the ordinary county court sitting “as a court of claims ,” having the special duty of auditing and ascertaining the claims against the county and expenses incurred by it, and providing for their payment by appropriations out of the county levy or annual tax. Meriweather v. Muhlenburg County Court, 120 U. S. 354, 7 Sup. Ct 503, 30 L. Ed. 053.
Black’s Law Online Dictionary
