kangaroo courts
Illegitimate mock trials
A kangaroo court is a mock judicial proceeding that ignores proper legal standards—the verdict is essentially predetermined.
The term suggests illegitimacy: The disciplinary hearing was a kangaroo court; they'd already decided to fire him.
Originally applied to frontier tribunals and prison justice systems, it now describes any sham process where fairness is merely theatrical.
Fraudulent imitation
- mockeryScornful ridicule or travesty
- farceAbsurd, laughable situation
- travestyAbsurd, degrading imitation
- charadeAbsurd or obvious pretense
pretense · show trial · drumhead trial · mock trial · railroad · rubber stamp · summary judgment · vigilante justice
Preformed unfavorable opinion
- partialityUnfair favor toward some
- unfairnessUnjust or biased treatment
- favoritismPreferential treatment of some
- discriminationUnjust differential treatment
one-sided · predetermined · prejudgment · corruption · cronyism · nepotism · partisan · skewed
Oppressive, absolute governance
- authoritarianismConcentrated, unchecked governmental power
- persecutionSystematic mistreatment of groups
- repressionUnconscious blocking of thoughts
- coercionPressured compliance through threats
intimidation · silencing · suppression · political persecution · crackdown · purge · dissent · totalitarianism
Guaranteed judicial fairness
- appealFormal review request
- evidenceFacts supporting truth
- defenseProtection against harm
- representationDepiction or likeness
counsel · fair hearing · rights · cross-examination · presumption of innocence · legal protection · habeas corpus · review
sham
Fraudulent imitation
- mockeryScornful ridicule or travesty
- farceAbsurd, laughable situation
- travestyAbsurd, degrading imitation
charade · pretense · show trial · drumhead trial · mock trial · railroad · rubber stamp · summary judgment · vigilante justice · lynch mob
prejudice
Preformed unfavorable opinion
- partialityUnfair favor toward some
- unfairnessUnjust or biased treatment
- favoritismPreferential treatment of some
discrimination · one-sided · predetermined · prejudgment · corruption · cronyism · nepotism · partisan · skewed · tendentious
tyranny
Oppressive, absolute governance
- authoritarianismConcentrated, unchecked governmental power
- persecutionSystematic mistreatment of groups
- repressionUnconscious blocking of thoughts
coercion · intimidation · silencing · suppression · political persecution · crackdown · purge · dissent · totalitarianism · dictatorial
due process
Guaranteed judicial fairness
representation · counsel · fair hearing · rights · cross-examination · presumption of innocence · legal protection · habeas corpus · review · recourse
- political oppressionvoter suppression, election fraud, rigged elections, ballot stuffing, vote rigging
- Soviet RepressionStalin, NKVD, gulag, gulags, Great Purge
- oppressionoppression, tyranny, racism, repression, secret police
kangaroo courtscourts of law
Venues for legal proceedings
due process · judicial proceedings · courts of justice · rule of law · appellate courts
kangaroo courtsjury trials
Legal hearings with citizen panels
bench trials · presumption of innocence · right to appeal · habeas corpus · natural justice
kangaroo courtsfair trial
Impartial judicial proceeding
bench trials · jury trials · criminal proceedings · civil proceedings
kangaroo, court, kangaroos, courts, courted, courting, courtly, courtship, courtier