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.
Since then, the prospect of double jeopardy has remained an open question that’s come up several times during open court proceedings and in filings. Kara Scannell, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026 Hours later, Boutros appeared in open court to dismiss the case. Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2026 Crosby argued those redactions are no longer needed because the jurors already spoke in open court, and some have also appeared in TV interviews and documentaries. Kelsie Cairns, FOXNews.com, 30 July 2026 According to the complaint, Grigsby attempted to tell Martinez that concerns about a defense attorney’s performance should be directed to supervisors rather than discussed in open court. Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 29 July 2026 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 21 Aug. 2026.

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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster