CIA at court unusually, laying down the law? (10)
I believe the answer is:
autocratic
'laying down the law?' is the definition.
(autocrats dictate the law)
'cia at court unusually' is the wordplay.
'unusually' indicates an anagram.
'cia'+'at'+'court'='ciaatcourt'
'ciaatcourt' anagrammed gives 'AUTOCRATIC'.
(Other definitions for autocratic that I've seen before include "Unrestrainedly powerful" , "bossy" , "Totalitarian" , "Having absolute power" .)