drumhead trial
Swift military tribunal
A drumhead trial is a hasty military tribunal conducted in the field, historically convened around an upturned drum serving as a table.
The term now applies to any rushed, summary legal proceeding where normal procedures are bypassed: The rebels faced a drumhead trial and were executed within hours.
The phrase implies justice sacrificed to expediency.
- kangaroo courtIllegitimate proceeding ignoring procedure
- star chamberSecretive, oppressive tribunal
- summary judgmentCourt ruling without trial
- military tribunalArmed forces judicial body
- military justiceArmed forces legal system
hasty · snap judgment · unjust · verdict · execution · firing squad · firing line · wartime · war crimes · sham · rushed · accusation · sentence · death sentence · summary execution · gallows · martial law · condemned
drumhead trialdue process
Guaranteed judicial fairness
fair trial · trial by jury · judicial review · legal process · bench trial
drumhead trialfair hearing
Impartial consideration of evidence
rule of law · open court · acquittal · presumption of innocence
drum, head, drums, heads, drummed, drumming, drummer, drummers, drumhead