ex parte

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

• adjective Of or relating to an action taken in a legal proceeding by one party without the presence or participation of the opposing party.
• adjective Of or relating to such an action taken in a manner that is not permitted due to the risk of undue influence or interference.

from The Century Dictionary.

• In law, proceeding from or concerned with only one part or side of a matter in question: with reference to any step taken by or on behalf of one of the parties to a suit or in any judicial proceeding without notice to the other: as, an ex-parte application; an ex-parte hearing; ex-parte evidence.
• noun With reference to or in connection with only one of the parties concerned: as, the respondent being absent, the case was proceeded with ex parte.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

• Upon or from one side only; one-sided; partial.
• one made without notice or opportunity to oppose.
• one that assembles at the request of only one of the parties in dispute.
• (Law) that which is had or taken by one side or party in the absence of the other. Hearings before grand juries, and affidavits, are ex parte.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

• adjective law Of, relating to, or characteristic of a proceeding where one of the involved parties is not present.
• adverb law In the manner of a proceeding where one of the involved parties is not, (or sometimes may not be) present