friend of the court
2
7.9
- noun
- /frɛnd əv ðə kɔrt/
- Formal
:
amicus curiae
- For the good of the public, this testimony must be admitted. "Are you appearing as a friend of the court, Mr. Ross?" the judge asked drily.
- friend of the court brief
- file a friend of the court
What is the Mill Association and the Timber Association likely to argue in their Friends of the Court amicus briefs?
- What is the Mill Association and the Timber Association likely to argue in their Friends of the Court amicus briefs?
- They were friends of the court, in fact, and used came up with very polite suggestions.
Examples
-
Over the years, the church has filed dozens of amicus curiae (friend of the court) briefs with the U.S. Supreme Court.
Academic text (1993) -
I'm a friend of the court.
-
I have been a friend of the court in a situation in which I consulted both men.
Fiction book (1999) -
They were friends of the court, in fact, and used came up with very polite suggestions.
-
In a friend-of-the-court brief prepared by the Justice Department on behalf of the SEC, the agency had sided with Enron investors.
Academic text (2009) -
Her Indian Law Resource Center in Helena filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the Glacier National Park case (Smith 2001).
Academic text (2001) -
Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund filed a friend-of-the-court brief last year on behalf of the Wisconsin Family Council in defense of the amendment, which a lower court upheld as constitutional.
Blog text (33) -
Last week, attorney Bob Kohn and the Authors Guild sought permission to act as "friends of the court" in the proposed settlement and filed amicus briefs.
Blog text (8) -
Overall, 73 amicus curiae (friend-of-the-court briefs) were filed in support of the University of Texas at Austin's holistic admissions policy.
Blog text (31) -
Sixteen states filed a friend of the court brief supporting Arizona in the Supreme Court case.
Synonyms
4
9.9
A person or group not part of a court case who gives information to help the court
1
9.9
A person or organization that gives the court information and advice in a case they are not part of
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is partially compositional: a learner who knows 'friend' and 'court' can infer someone who supports or assists the court, so the general idea of a helpful actor is accessible. However, the full legal sense — a non‑party person or organization who formally advises the court (amicus curiae) and influences proceedings — is a specialized procedural meaning not fully predictable from the constituents, so it is not fully transparent to a B1 learner.
Etymology
Friend of the court comes from the old Latin phrase 'amicus curiae' and creates a clear picture: a friend who goes to a court to give help even though they are not part of the case. So today a friend of the court is a person or group 'not involved' in the case who gives information or advice to help the judge decide.