kangaroo court

plural kangaroo courts

1. idiomaticA judicial or quasi-judicial proceeding, or a group of people which conducts such proceedings, which is without proper authority, and often acts abusively or decides unjustly.First known use mid 19th c.

   Sol Tuttle interposed; "Don't you let nobody hev any witnesses i[n] this kangaroo court?"

   1856, Charles Summerfield [pseudonym; Alfred W. Arrington], “The Trial—An Execution”, in The Rangers and Regulators of the Tanaha: Or, Life among the Lawless. A Tale of the Republic of Texas, New York: Robert M. De Witt, […], →OCLC, page 247

   5 more examples

   The Concordia Intelligencer says "several loafers were lynched in Natchez last week upon various charges instituted by the Kangaroo court.[…]" What is a Kangaroo court, neighbor?

   1841 August 24, “Don’t comprehend”, in C. M. Price, G. R. Fall, editors, The Daily Picayune, volume V, number 179, New Orleans, La.: Lumsden, Kendall & Co., →OCLC, page 2, column 5

   On the evening succeeding the election, a meeting was gotten up some what in imitation of a "Kangaroo Court," for the purpose of trying three individuals, […]

   1848 December 1, W. P. Andrews, “[Letter to the editors]”, in The Mississippian, volume XVIII, number 3, Jackson, Miss.: [G. R. Fall and J. Marshall], published 12 January 1849, →OCLC, page 3, column 2

   One of the principal amusements of the bar during these sessions of the court, is to assemble in some sufficiently capacious room, and after indulging in all the boyish games that occur to them, to institute mock proceedings against some one of their number, for some ridiculous, imaginary offence. […] By an unanimous vote, Judge G.—the fattest and funniest of the assembly—was elected to the bench, and the "Mestang" [i.e., mustang] or "Kangaroo Court" regularly organized.

   1853, Philip Paxton [pseudonym], “Term Time in the Backwoods, and a Mestang Court”, in A Stray Yankee in Texas, New York, N.Y.: Redfield, […], →OCLC, page 205

   He [Judge Murray] endeavors to place me in the position of having assailed him, by describing the courts held by him as Kangaroo courts, and imputes to me a settled purpose to alienate all social and friendly relations, between the bench, bar, officers of the court, and all others, who come in direct contact with the courts. Now, all this is simply untrue, as well as ridiculous.

   1858 July 14, Theodoric F. Sorrells, “To the Voters of the Second Judicial Circuit [letter]”, in C. C. Danley, editor, Arkansas State Gazette and Democrat, volume XXXIX, number 24 (Gazette); volume XIII, number 3 (Democrat), Little Rock, Ark.: W. F. Holtzmann, →OCLC, page 3, column 3

   [A]bout twenty prisoners were confined in the city prison at the time and were all more or less drunk on white line (alcohol) furnished through the window by outside parties; […] two kangaroo courts were held the day on which Varnoff was convicted of violating the prison rules, was fined 50 cents each time and searched by officers of the court.

   1893 March 10, “Scotch verdict”, in M[arshall] M. Murdock, editor, The Wichita Eagle, volume XXI, number 52, Wichita, Kan.: [M. M. Murdock], →ISSN, →OCLC, page 6, column 7