A kangaroo court is a pejorative term for a judicial or quasi-judicial body that disregards recognized standards of law or due process, often assembled on an ad hoc basis and lacking official standing in its jurisdiction, though the term can also describe a legitimate court that structurally or intentionally ignores its own legal and ethical obligations. Its defining trait is reaching a predetermined verdict rather than fairly weighing evidence. The phrase entered American English by 1841, appearing in a New Orleans newspaper in connection with lynch-mob courts, and its exact origin is unclear, with proposed explanations including a court that suddenly jumps to a verdict, a reference to being carried in someone's pocket, and popularization during the 1849 California Gold Rush; the term does not appear in Australian usage, the kangaroo's native home, before its American debut.
Sources
Reader Challenges (0 open reader challenges)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.
View At A Past Year
The atlas records no dated fact of its own for this entry, so there is no other year to choose.