Which practice involves a third party offering information to the court in a case where they are not a party?

• A. Amicus curiae
• B. Certiorari
• C. Petition for writ
• D. Docket

Answer: (A)

Amicus curiae means a person or organization that is not a party to the case but offers information to the court to help it decide. The key idea is that this third party is “a friend of the court,” providing arguments, data, or perspectives that go beyond what the actual parties are presenting. The goal is to shed light on broader implications, policy considerations, or specialized knowledge that might influence the court’s ruling, without serving as a direct advocate for a client in the dispute. Courts welcome these briefs when they think the extra input will help them understand the issues more fully, though the amicus does not control the outcome or become a party itself. This is different from terms like certiorari, which refers to a request for a higher court to review a decision, or from a docket, which is simply a list of cases scheduled to be heard.