Home > West's Encyclopedia of American Law > Day in Court

The opportunity afforded an individual to have a claim litigated in a judicial setting.

A person is said to have his or her day in court when he or she is given notice to appear and has the opportunity to defend his or her rights, seek relief, or set forth his or her claims. When someone has had his or her day in court with reference to a particular matter, that individual will generally be prevented from relitigating the claim in a subsequent action unless grounds exist that warrant an appeal of the matter.