open court

British

noun

a court or trial to which members of the public are freely admitted

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

So Julie Le freaking out in open court doesn’t get us where we need to go.

From Slate • Feb. 6, 2026

Attorneys for the Rose Bowl and Pasadena contend that the case should play out in open court because it involves two public entities and is of great interest to the public.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 19, 2026

“I’ve never heard of someone in open court not being identified,” Steglich said.

From Salon • Jul. 15, 2025

The most recent documents presented in open court last autumn showed that Labour had spent £1.5m on legal action, and estimated it would spend nearly £900,000 more.

From BBC • Jun. 6, 2024

“It is I, the Great Bentini,” Ben mimicked as he began to dribble the ball between his legs trying to shame his father into open court where he knew he could drive around him.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023