Kangaroo Court. What The Heck Is This?
And how it is different from 'lynching'. Elaborating on the term
The article was posted: | 1 min read
Donna’s being railroaded here. This hearing’s nothing but a kangaroo court
What is it?
A kangaroo court is a sham legal proceeding that gives the impression of justice but, in reality, has nothing to do with justice. In a kangaroo court, the accused is always found guilty, regardless of any evidence of their guilt.
How is it different from 'lynching’?
It’s almost equivalent to lynching someone, but not always. While lynching implies the death of the victim, being judged by a kangaroo court does not necessarily result in death. The accused may be jailed, fined, or punished in another way.
Origin
The origin of the term is obscure. Personally, I like the version that suggests it is derived from the way a kangaroo moves—quickly hopping around, similar to the speed of "justice" in a kangaroo court. The main objective of this 'institution' is to punish the accused as quickly as possible.
Usage
You can use the term in both informal conversation and formal writing.