| 1. | a self-appointed or mob-operated tribunal that disregards or parodies existing principles of law or human rights, esp. one in a frontier area or among criminals in prison. |
| 2. | any crudely or irregularly operated court, esp. one so controlled as to render a fair trial impossible. |
| kangaroo court n.
|
A court that ignores principles of justice; a court characterized by incompetence and dishonesty.
kangaroo court
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]