amicus

noun

ami·​cus ə-ˈmē-kəs  -ˈmī- 

plural amici ə-ˈmē-ˌkē 

-ˈmī-ˌsī

: someone (such as a professional person) or something (such as an organization) that is not a party to a particular case but that is allowed by the court upon petition or by the court's request to advise it in respect to some matter of law that directly affects the case in question : amicus curiae

I'd like to urge you to begin thinking about filing a brief as amicus in this case.

—Jonathan Mahler

… Mr. Benkard recently had joined in an … amicus brief seeking overturn of a U.S. Claims Court judgement …

—The National Law Journal

Two dozen prominent law professors and economists called attention to this problem in an amicus brief submitted to the FTC's administrative tribunal.

—Rachel Chiu

Examples of amicus in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The court also received amicus briefs from members of the Block the Merger coalition and from the League of United Latin American Citizens, both of which raised a series of objections to the deal. — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 28 Sep. 2026

Dozens of other media organizations, including the Times and Condé Nast, which owns The New Yorker, filed an amicus brief in the case. — Jelani Cobb, New Yorker, 27 Sep. 2026

The Block the Merger coalition and other opponents of the deal have filed amicus briefs reiterating their objections. — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 25 Sep. 2026

Ahead of Wednesday's hearing, an amicus brief was filed by other news groups, urging the court to immediately restore the three outlets' White House access. — Jocelyn Noveck, Arkansas Online, 24 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1916, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing amicus

• amicus curiae

Legal Definition

amicus

noun

ami·​cus ə-ˈmē-kəs, -ˈmī- 

plural amici -ˈmē-ˌkē, -ˈmī-ˌsī 

: amicus curiae