in the dock

Idioms  

1. On trial, especially in a criminal case. For example, The accused stood in the dock through the entire proceeding. This expression employs dock in the sense of “an enclosed place for the defendant in a court of law,” a usage dating from the late 1500s, and is used even in American courts where no such enclosure exists.

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Example Sentences

Warren sat in the dock wearing a grey hoodie with his head facing down throughout the hearing.

From BBC

Appearing in the dock at Belfast Magistrates Court, Koko, originally from Sudan, spoke only to confirm his name and that he understood the charge.

From BBC

Listening to the jury deliver its verdicts in court, he could be seen crying in the dock and blowing his nose with a tissue.

From BBC

He was regularly seen sobbing in the dock with his head in his hands throughout the day.

From BBC

The businessman, who owns Michelin-starred Benares in Mayfair as part of a collection of top restaurants in the UK and Spain, looked to the floor as the jury returned its verdicts, and could be seen shaking his head in the dock.

From BBC