( also the Court of Star Chamber )
a British court of law that was first used in the 14th century. It consisted of the members of the Privy Council , and had no jury. It was often used in the Tudor (1) and Stuart periods to deal with cases affecting the state or the royal family . It already had a reputation for treating people unfairly when Charles I used it to punish people who refused to do what he wanted. It was closed down by the Long Parliament in 1641. The phrase is sometimes used to refer to any group of people that makes unfair decisions:
This is not a star chamber, you will be given a fair hearing.