What is meant by “Amicus Curiae”?

Amicus Curiae is a Latin phrase used to mean “friend of the court.” In legal terms, Amicus Curiae refers to a person, group of persons, or a specialist who is not a party to a legal suit and who is allowed to offer assistance to the court through the provision of information and/or expertise that can be used to make justice even-handed. Example: The apex court, while deciding a critical case involving constitutional issues of environmental protection, could call a court environmental expert in the capacity of an amicus curiae, as the expert is not a party to the litigation.