What exactly constitutes the front court?

I am asking this question in regards to the 5 second closely guarded call. Can you call 5 seconds closely guarded anywhere in the frount court outside the lane?

Front court status is once all three, the ball and both feet have cross the mid court line and have been establish. The closely guard count is picked up once a defender is "within" 6 feet of the offensive player, in a guarding position (my opinion. You can not have a closely guarded count in the backcourt.

You can have a "5-second closely guarded" call in the lane in the frontcourt also too.

That depends, if the offensive person has turn to the basket for a drive, I drop my count. Especially if he has beaten the player to the goal. Then if he stops and makes no attempt for a basket, I or my parter will start the 3 second count!

3 second count starts when he enters the lane, not when you've determined he's not going to shoot the ball. I'll hold off on a call if the shot is pending, but I'm blowing the whistle when he changes his mind.
I'm not stopping my 5 second count until he beats his man, I don't care which direction he's going or how close he is to the hoop. Just because he's driving doesn't mean the count stops.

What if he stops in the lane, is closely guarded, and makes attempts for the basket that last longer than 5 seconds without releasing the ball?

Um, do have a rules basis for stopping your count when the offensive player drives but doesn't beat his defender?

I agree you drop the count when a player has beaten the defender on a drive but if the defender is still with that player the count continues.

I can already hear the coach: FOURTEEN, FIFTEEN, SIXTEEN...CALL IT, WILL YOU?!? :D