What is the term for a court where a case is originally tried?

The term for a court where a case is originally tried is "court of original jurisdiction." This designation is crucial in the judicial system as it identifies the trial court responsible for hearing a case for the first time. In these courts, evidence is presented, witnesses may be called, and initial judgments regarding the facts and basic legal issues of the case are made.

The other options refer to different court functions or types. For example, a court of appeals does not conduct trials or hear original cases; rather, it reviews decisions made by lower courts. A court of record maintains a permanent record of its proceedings but does not exclusively denote the original trial court. A district court is often used to describe certain courts within a broad jurisdiction, especially in federal systems, but it may not inherently imply the original jurisdiction of all cases—making it a less precise term compared to "court of original jurisdiction."