From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishbe up before something/somebodybe up before something/somebodyinformalSCT to appear in a court of law because you have been accused of a crime He was up before the magistrates’ court charged with dangerous driving. → up
Examples from the Corpus
be up before something/somebody• Borrowers on a budget plan have to wait till the year is up before they can reap the benefits.• I had not slept much and was up before dawn.• In November 1987 they were up before the court on badger digging charges - one got off due to inadequate evidence.• Rae was up before dawn all that week.• The women were up before first light and called me over for tea.• We will have to be up before dawn for the Buddhist ceremony. 