A session is a temporally fixed meeting of a governmental body, usually a court of legislature. For a court, in session refers to when the court is actively hearing a case. For example, California Code of Civil Procedure § 2016.080 provides that, for informal discovery requests, “[i]f a court is in session and does not grant, deny, or schedule the party's request within 10 calendar days after the initial request, the request shall be deemed denied.” For a legislature, in session refers to active deliberation on legislation. For example, Article I Section 5 of the U.S. Constitution provides that “[n]either House, during the session of Congress, shall, without the consent of the other adjourn for more than three days. . .”
[Last updated in April of 2021 by the Wex Definitions Team]