udienze

Udienza is the Italian noun meaning a formal session during which a judge, a public official, or an authority hears arguments, evidence, or the petition of a party. The term is used in various contexts, most notably in law and in ecclesiastical or administrative settings.

In the legal system, an udienza is a hearing before a court or tribunal. During the session, the parties or their lawyers present evidence, examine witnesses, and make legal arguments. Depending on the stage of proceedings, an udienza can be preliminary (udienza preliminare) to decide whether a case should go to trial, or more general (udienza di trattazione or di discussione) for the presentation and evaluation of the evidence. There are also chamber hearings (udienze camerali) in which certain issues are resolved with the judge alone or with a limited number of participants, typically without the full court.

Beyond courts, udienze can refer to formal audiences granted by authorities. In the Catholic Church, an audience may be a private meeting with the Pope or a General Audience (Udienza Generale) held weekly, where the Pope speaks to the faithful. Public or diplomatic audiences may be requested by individuals, groups, or states through appropriate channels.

Etymology and usage: the term derives from Latin audientia, from audire “to hear”; the plural udienze reflects multiple sessions or instances of such hearings. The exact nature of an udienza depends on the legal, administrative, or religious context and jurisdiction.