न्यायालय का तात्पर्य सामान्यतः उस स्थान से है जहाँ पर न्याय प्रशासन कार्य होता है, परंतु बहुधा इसका प्रयोग न्यायाधीश के अर्थ में भी होता है। बोलचाल की भाषा में अदालत को कचहरी भी कहते हैं।

A court is any person or institution, often as a government institution, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between parties and carry out the administration of justice in civil, criminal, and administrative matters in accordance with the rule of law. In both common law and civil law legal systems, courts are the central means for dispute resolution, and it is generally understood that all people have an ability to bring their claims before a court. Similarly, the rights of those accused of a crime include the right to present a defense before a court.