open court

noun

: a court that anyone is allowed to attend
He testified in open court.

Examples of open court in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Brennan wanted to force Kearney to invoke the right himself instead of through Bradl, but Cannone did not tell him to do so in open court. Flint McColgan, Boston Herald, 16 Apr. 2025 Deputy Assistant Attorney General Drew Ensign claimed that national security concerns weighed against having the government make its case quickly and in open court. Niall Stanage, The Hill, 17 Mar. 2025 And Josh Peck highlighted his anger at so many Hollywood stars backing Bell’s abuser in open court. Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Mar. 2025 Utah took advantage of the Lakers’ minimal rim protection to abuse them in the paint (outscoring them 54-36 there), but also outplayed them in the open court (outscoring them 26-13 in fast-break points) while the visitors missed nearly half of their free-throw attempts (17 of 30). Khobi Price, Orange County Register, 12 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for open court

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Open court.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/open%20court. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.

Legal Definition

open court

noun
1
: a recorded judicial proceeding that is presided over by a judge and attended by the parties and their attorneys and that is convened for the purpose of conducting official business compare in camera
2
: a session of a court that is open to the public
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!