open-and-shut case

open-and-shut case
Also found in: Dictionary.
an open-and-shut case
A legal case that is clear-cut or straightforward.
With all the evidence against the defendant, I expect this to be an open-and-shut case.
Isn't this an open-and-shut case? They found his fingerprints all over the crime scene!
I know this seems like an open-and-shut case, but they've got a very crafty defense lawyer who should make things interesting.
See also: an, case
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
open-and-shut case
a simple and straightforward situation without complications. (Often said of criminal cases where the evidence is convincing.) The murder trial was an open-and-shut case. The defendant was caught with the murder weapon. Bob's death was an open-and-shut case of suicide. He left a suicide note.
See also: case
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
See also:
an open-and-shut case
make a case that
the people
in case
have a case on
have a case on (someone)
meet the case
be on (one's) case
be on somebody's case
be on someone's case