In camera
Encyclopedia
In camera is a legal
term meaning "in private". It is also sometimes termed in chambers or in curia.
In camera describes court
cases (or portions thereof) that the public and press are not admitted to. In camera is the opposite of trial
in open court
where all the parties and witnesses testify in a public courtroom
, and attorneys
make their arguments in public to the trier of fact
.
Entire cases may be heard in camera when, for example, matters of national security
are involved. In camera reviews may also be used during otherwise open trials — for example, to protect trade secrets or where one party asserts privilege (such as attorney-client privilege
d communications). This lets the judge review the document in private before determining its admissibility in open court.
In camera can also describe closed board meetings that cover information not recorded in the minutes or divulged to the public. Such sessions may discuss personnel, financial, or other sensitive decisions that must be kept secret (e.g., a proposed merger or strategic change the organization does not want disclosed to competitors).
The term is also used to describe the portion of a graduate level thesis examination that includes only the examining committee and the student. This follows a presentation by the student, at which the public is welcome.
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
term meaning "in private". It is also sometimes termed in chambers or in curia.
In camera describes court
Court
A court is a form of tribunal, often a governmental institution, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between parties and carry out the administration of justice in civil, criminal, and administrative matters in accordance with the rule of law...
cases (or portions thereof) that the public and press are not admitted to. In camera is the opposite of trial
Trial
A trial is, in the most general sense, a test, usually a test to see whether something does or does not meet a given standard.It may refer to:*Trial , the presentation of information in a formal setting, usually a court...
in open court
In open court
In open court is a legal term in the United States defined by the appearance by a party or their attorney in a public court session such as during a trial...
where all the parties and witnesses testify in a public courtroom
Courtroom
A courtroom is the actual enclosed space in which a judge regularly holds court.The schedule of official court proceedings is called a docket; the term is also synonymous with a court's caseload as a whole.-Courtroom design:-United States:...
, and attorneys
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
make their arguments in public to the trier of fact
Trier of fact
A trier of fact is a person, or group of persons, who determines facts in a legal proceeding, usually a trial. To determine a fact is to decide, from the evidence, whether something existed or some event occurred.-Juries:...
.
Entire cases may be heard in camera when, for example, matters of national security
National security
National security is the requirement to maintain the survival of the state through the use of economic, diplomacy, power projection and political power. The concept developed mostly in the United States of America after World War II...
are involved. In camera reviews may also be used during otherwise open trials — for example, to protect trade secrets or where one party asserts privilege (such as attorney-client privilege
Attorney-client privilege
Attorney–client privilege is a legal concept that protects certain communications between a client and his or her attorney and keeps those communications confidential....
d communications). This lets the judge review the document in private before determining its admissibility in open court.
In camera can also describe closed board meetings that cover information not recorded in the minutes or divulged to the public. Such sessions may discuss personnel, financial, or other sensitive decisions that must be kept secret (e.g., a proposed merger or strategic change the organization does not want disclosed to competitors).
The term is also used to describe the portion of a graduate level thesis examination that includes only the examining committee and the student. This follows a presentation by the student, at which the public is welcome.
See also
- Motion in limine
- United States v. The ProgressiveUnited States v. The ProgressiveUnited States of America v. Progressive, Inc., Erwin Knoll, Samuel Day, Jr., and Howard Morland is the name of a lawsuit against the magazine The Progressive by the U.S. government in 1979...
— a case where two trials were held simultaneously, one in camera and one public