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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

A hearing on UCLA’s motion to compel arbitration and keep the proceedings out of open court is set to be heard Jan. 22 in Los Angeles Superior Court.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 10, 2026

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

From Salon • Jul. 15, 2025

This is in contrast to an open court where you might have three magistrates hearing a case and the public can attend.

From BBC • Aug. 18, 2024

“Welcome to this house, lad,” the doorkeeper said, and without saying more led him through halls and corridors to an open court far inside the walls of the building.

From "A Wizard of Earthsea" by Ursula K. Le Guin

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