Star Chamber was an English court of law during the 1500’s and 1600’s. It tried people who were too powerful to be brought before the ordinary, common-law courts. The Star Chamber consisted of men from the King’s Council, a group of royal advisers. It passed judgment without trial by jury. The court was so named because it held sessions in the Star Chamber of Westminster Palace. Today, the term star chamber refers to an unregulated, secret meeting of any court of justice or official organization.
The Star Chamber was popular for a long time because it protected ordinary people from their oppressors. But eventually it abused its powers. Unlike the common-law courts, which protected the accused, it used torture to obtain confessions. King Charles I used the Star Chamber to crush opposition to his policies. In 1641, the Long Parliament abolished the court (see Long Parliament).
