A short news story printed alongside a larger one.
What is sidebar?
• A block of information placed at the side of a printed page.
• A block of information placed at the side of a webpage.
• A short conference, between a judge and the attorneys of a case, held outside the hearing of the jury and the spectators at the court.
• The place in the courtroom where such a conference happens.
• An accessory side note or aside made during a conversation, without changing the scope of the audience.
• A short conversation between a smaller portion of a group held outside the hearing of the rest of the group.
(Verb) To place (information) into a sidebar, or as if into a sidebar.
Why sidebar matters
sidebar appears in U.S. legal practice across multiple practice areas. Knowing what it means — and when it applies — can determine the outcome of motions, filings, and negotiations. For non-lawyers, the value of looking up a precise definition is that legal terms often carry meanings that differ from everyday usage; relying on the common meaning can lead to costly missteps.
How sidebar works in practice
In practice, sidebar is invoked when parties, judges, or attorneys need to identify the legal status of an issue, the rights of those involved, or the procedural step required next. The definition shown above is sourced from Wiktionary , which is widely cited in U.S. legal practice. Because U.S. law is jurisdictionally layered — federal, state, and sometimes local — the precise application of the term can vary by court, so check the controlling authority for your specific case.