Warning
Info
Warning
Info
Simple English definitions for legal terms
Star chamber proceedings
Read a random definition: controlling shareholder
A quick definition of Star chamber proceedings:
Star chamber proceedings refer to a legal process that is considered unfair and arbitrary. The term comes from the Star Chamber Courts in England, which were used to try powerful nobles and later became known for suppressing opposition to the monarchy. These courts were seen as unfair because they were conducted in secret by a committee of the king's council and used torture to obtain confessions. Although the courts were abolished in 1641, the phrase is still used today to challenge legal proceedings that are perceived as unjust. For example, a divorced husband may challenge a divorce proceeding by calling it a "star chamber." The term is also used by judges to question the fairness of legal proceedings.
A more thorough explanation:
Definition: Star chamber proceeding is a term used in legal cases to describe an unfair and arbitrary trial. The term comes from the Star Chamber Courts of Medieval and early-modern England, which were originally used to try powerful noblemen who could not be brought before common courts. However, these courts eventually became known for suppressing anti-monarchical sentiment and using torture to obtain confessions and suppress opposition. Although Parliament abolished Star Chamber Courts in 1641, the phrase still invokes images of judicial arbitrariness and is often used to oppose a proceeding that is seen as unfair.
- In DS v. JH, a divorced husband challenged a divorce proceeding by the Scottish Court of Sessions, attacking the proceeding as a “star chamber.”
- In Burnham v. Commonwealth, a pro se litigant sued state officials for conducting a criminal prosecution against him, which he characterized as “analogous to a 16th century star chamber proceeding.”
- In U.S. v Ju Toy (1905), the U.S. Supreme Court questioned whether an immigration proceeding where Chinese immigrants had to potentially appear and give testimony in Washington D.C. to establish lawful admission to the U.S. was a "star-chamber proceeding of the most stringent sort."
These examples illustrate how the term "star chamber proceeding" is used to describe legal proceedings that are seen as unfair or arbitrary. In each case, the litigant or judge uses the term to question the fairness of the trial and suggest that it is reminiscent of the unjust practices of the Star Chamber Courts.