Dock Brief
Preserved but no longer current.
In English law anyone accused of an offence and brought to trial is entitled to defend himself or be defended by counsel. When a prisoner m the dock pleads inability to employ counsel, the presiding judge can instruct a barrister present in court to under- take the defence, a small fee for this being paid by the court.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Dock Brief” mean?
In English law anyone accused of an offence and brought to trial is entitled to defend himself or be defended by counsel. When a prisoner m the dock pleads inability to employ counsel, the presiding judge can instruct a barrister present in court to under- take the defence, a small fee for this being paid by the court.
Is “Dock Brief” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.