Amicus curiae

Definition

An amicus curiae, meaning "friend of the court" in Latin, is an individual or organization that is not a party to a legal case but offers information, expertise, or insight that has a bearing on the issues in the case. They submit briefs (written statements) to the court to advocate for a particular outcome based on public interest or their policy preferences.

Related terms

Interest Group:

An organization that seeks to influence public policy and decision-making processes within political systems without seeking election to office.

Lobbying:

The act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, often by interest groups through lobbyists.

Public Policy:

A system of laws, regulatory measures, courses of action, and funding priorities concerning a given topic promulgated by a governmental entity or its representatives