kangaroo court

noun

1. 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.
2. any crudely or irregularly operated court, especially one so controlled as to render a fair trial impossible.

kangaroo court

noun

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

kangaroo court

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of kangaroo court¹

An Americanism dating back to 1850–55

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]

Example Sentences

The series that followed, tackling disinformation and kangaroo courts and cancel culture and race optics was as good as this show—which has proven itself to be so damn good—can get.

From The Daily Beast

Sharpe was executed after a kangaroo court found him guilty, and his corpse buried in the sand near Montego Bay Harbor.

From Ozy

Capital Cities, "Kangaroo Court" This song has been around for a few weeks, but this video takes it to a whole new level.

From The Daily Beast

It works and he gets the attention of a pretty poodle, but things quickly go awry, leading them all to a literal kangaroo court.

From The Daily Beast

I felt as if I were in a literary version of kangaroo court.

From The Daily Beast

The sacking of Gotham is depicted largely in the form of a burlesque kangaroo court straight out of Terry Gilliam.

From The Daily Beast

The next day I, with the other late arrivals, was initiated as a member of the "Kangaroo Court."

From Project Gutenberg

The most interesting of these impromptu clubs is the one called in the vernacular the "Kangaroo Court."

From Project Gutenberg

I would say he is a Batista, and right away they would grab him, give him a kangaroo court and shoot him.

From Project Gutenberg

After a while these games become tiresome, and the "Kangaroo Court" is formed.

From Project Gutenberg

Uncle Ben hitched his chair, and with much chuckling, recalled the "kangaroo court" the cowboys used to hold at night in camp.

From Project Gutenberg