View synonyms for kangaroo court

kangaroo court

noun

a self-appointed or mob-operated tribunal that disregards or parodies existing principles of law or human rights, especially one in a frontier area or among criminals in prison.
any crudely or irregularly operated court, especially one so controlled as to render a fair trial impossible.

kangaroo court

noun

an irregular court, esp one set up by prisoners in a jail or by strikers to judge strikebreakers

kangaroo court

A court that ignores principles of justice; a court characterized by incompetence and dishonesty.

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Word History and Origins

Origin of kangaroo court¹

An Americanism dating back to 1850–55

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Idioms and Phrases

A self-appointed tribunal that violates established legal procedure; also, a dishonest or incompetent court of law. For example, The rebels set up a kangaroo court and condemned the prisoners to summary execution , or That judge runs a kangaroo court—he tells rape victims they should have been more careful . This expression is thought to liken the jumping ability of kangaroos to a court that jumps to conclusions on an invalid basis. [Mid-1800s]

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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