barratry

Early 15th century, in sense “sale of offices”, from Old French baraterie (“deceit, trickery”), from barat (“fraud, deceit, trickery”), of unknown origin, perhaps Celtic.[1] In marine sense of “unlawful acts causing loss to owner”, 1620s.[1]

• IPA^(key): /ˈbæɹətɹi/

barratry (countable and uncountable, plural barratries)

1. The act of persistently instigating lawsuits, often groundless ones.
   • 1959 April 24, Walt Kelly, Pogo, comic strip, →ISBN, page 35:

     [Deacon Mushrat to Pogo:] The Machiavellian barratry of a pettifogging public has maundered into do-nothingism.

2. The sale or purchase of religious or political positions of power.

   Coordinate term: simony

3. (admiralty law) Unlawful or fraudulent acts by the crew of a vessel, harming the vessel's owner.

• champerty