Bar Legal Meaning and Definition

Here is a simplified definition of the legal term Bar.

Bar (noun)

  1. A term referring to the collective body of attorneys or lawyers who practice law and are officially qualified to perform legal duties within a specific jurisdiction.
  2. The physical barrier in a courtroom beyond which only certain people, such as judges, lawyers, and witnesses, may pass.
  3. A term used to describe the legal profession as a whole.

Example: Often you will hear about cases being heard before "members of the Bar," which means it is being handled by officially certified legal professionals.