Glossary
Amicus curiae
friend of the court
common-lawcivil-law
A non-party permitted to file submissions because it has a legitimate interest in the outcome.
In more detail
Amicus briefs are most influential in constitutional and appellate litigation, where a court benefits from expertise or wider consequences that the parties may not present. Permission requirements differ: US federal appellate courts accept them routinely, while many civil-law systems admit them only through specialised procedures.
Related terms
- intervener
- public-interest-litigation
See how this applies to you
Definitions are general. How a term operates depends on the jurisdiction you are in.