Written by attorneys · grounded in primary & secondary sources — see below
The matter currently pending before a court for decision.
Sources & Authorities· 31 primary sources
Select any source to read its text and confirm it supports the definition.
Cases
Statutes
Federal Rules
How it applies
Common Examples
6
Judge Addresses Bias in Proceedings
Alexis Archer represents a plaintiff in a discrimination suit. During a hearing, defense counsel makes remarks about the plaintiff's national origin. The judge interrupts and orders counsel to stop, reminding the lawyers that such statements have no place in the case at bar.
Custody Order Enforcement Challenged
Andre Antoine seeks to enforce a custody order from another state against Ariana Azizi. She argues that she never received proper notice of the original proceeding. The court examines whether the lack of notice under Section 108 prevents enforcement in the case at bar.
Audrey Ashton, a city official, sues a newspaper for publishing critical statements about her performance. The court must decide whether the statements concerned her official duties and whether actual malice must be shown in the case at bar.
New York Times v. Sullivan376 U.S. 254 (1964)
Landmark Designation Limits Development
Alliance Holdings owns a historic building subject to a city landmark law. It claims the restrictions prevent any reasonable return on the property. The court weighs whether the regulation effects a taking in the case at bar.
Penn Central Transportation Co. et al. v. New York City438 U.S. 104, 98 S.Ct. 2646, 57 L.Ed.2d 631 (1978)
Agency Rulemaking Procedure Reviewed
Astra Aerospace challenges an environmental regulation affecting its operations. It contends the agency failed to follow required procedures when adopting the rule. The court considers the proper scope of judicial review in the case at bar.
Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. Nat. Res. Def. Council, Inc.467 U.S. 837, 843, 104 S. Ct. 2778, 2781, 81 L. Ed. 2d 694 (1984)
Abortion Statute Faces Constitutional Challenge
Alexandra Armstrong, a physician, seeks to enjoin enforcement of a state law restricting certain medical procedures. The court must determine whether the statute violates constitutional protections in the case at bar.
Roe v. Wade410 U.S. 113 (1973)
Common questions
Frequently Asked
3
What does the phrase at bar mean in a judicial opinion?+
It refers to the specific case currently under consideration by the court. Courts use the phrase to distinguish the matter being decided from other cases or hypothetical situations.
How is the term at bar used when discussing procedural requirements?+
It identifies the pending proceeding in which a rule or right must be applied. For example, courts examine whether notice was properly given in the proceedings that produced the order now before the court at bar.
Does the phrase at bar appear in discussions of judicial ethics?+
Yes. A judge may invoke the phrase when addressing conduct by lawyers appearing in the matter now before the court, such as requiring them to avoid bias or prejudice in the case at bar.
410 U.S. 113 (1973)Constitutional Law
…appeal to this Court from the grant or denial of declaratory relief alone, review is not foreclosed when the case is properly before the Court on appeal from specific denial of injunctive relief and the arguments as to both injunctive and declaratory relief are necessarily identical. Pp. 123. 2. Roe had standing to sue; the Does…