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star chamber

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Star Chamber

 
Use star chamber in a Sentence
–noun
1. a former court of inquisitorial and criminal jurisdiction in England that sat without a jury and that became noted for its arbitrary methods and severe punishments, abolished 1641.
2. any tribunal, committee, or the like, which proceeds by arbitrary or unfair methods.
Origin:
1350–1400; ME
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Star Chamber   (stär)   
n.  

  1. A 15th-century to 17th-century English court consisting of judges who were appointed by the Crown and sat in closed session on cases involving state security.

  2. star chamber A court or group that engages in secret, harsh, or arbitrary procedures.


[So called because the ceiling of the original courtroom was decorated with stars.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Cultural Dictionary

Star Chamber

A royal court that began in England in the Middle Ages; cases were heard there without juries. Under the early Stuart kings, it was known for its tyrannical judgments. The name came from the courtroom's ceiling, which was painted with stars.

Note: Star Chamber is used as a general descriptive term for arbitrary tactics by a judge.
The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

Star Chamber 
1398, apartment in the royal palace at Westminster in which members of the king's council sat to exercise jurisdiction 14-15c., it evolved 15c. into a court of criminal jurisdiction, proverbial under James I and Charles I for arbitrary and oppressive proceedings. Abolished 1641. Supposedly so called because gilt stars were painted on the ceiling.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: star chamber
Function: noun
1 cap S&C : an old English court abolished in 1641 that exercised wide civil and criminal jurisdiction under rules of procedure suited to the prerogatives of the king and that was marked by secrecy, the absence of juries, self-incrimination, and an inquisitorial as opposed to accusatorial system of justice
2 : a tribunal or proceeding resembling the Star Chamber esp. in being secretive or arbitrary
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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