Black's Law Dictionary (2nd edition)dictionaries

Short Cause

A cause which is not likely to occupy a great portion of the time of the court, and which may be entered on the list of “short causes,’’ upon the applica-tion of one of the parties, and will then be heard more speedily than it would be In its regular order. Thls practice obtains in the English chancery and in some of the American states

Source: Black's Law Dictionary 2nd Ed (1910)