History KangarooCourt / LiveActionTV

* ''Series/Watchmen2019'': Veidt is faced with one of these, with the Warden as judge. He doesn't help this by refusing to participate, breaking wind instead of defending himself. This is annoying enough that the Warden has the jury of cloned servants replaced with ''pigs''. He interprets one's squeals as a guilty verdict. In fairness, we don't see all of the evidence they present (Veidt really is guilty of everything said in the prosecution's closing statement) though obviously the rest still counts. A flashback also shows that suspected terrorists in Vietnam didn't even get this -- once she identifies a man as participating in a suicide attack (which again, he did do), he's simply taken away and shot without trial.

* ''Series/TheTwilightZone1959'': In "[[Recap/TheTwilightZoneS2E65TheObsoleteMan The Obsolete Man]]" at the beginning, Wordsworth is brought before a tribunal charged with "obsolescence", as he's a librarian but books are banned. The "obsolete" are put to death. While there's mention of him having counsel, none appears at the trial, with only a brief period of questioning. Once it's established that he was a librarian, his fate is sealed, and there's no appeals, with his only right being choosing how to die (as Wordsworth then sarcastically observes, he's very "rich" with such choices).

** In "[[Recap/BattlestarGalactica2003S03E05Collaborators Collaborators]]", several cast members are part of a secret group that has been disposing of people suspected of [[LesCollaborateurs collaborating]] with the Cylons during the occupation of New Caprica. They call themselves a jury but the group contains at least three prior members of LaResistance,[[note]]Chief Tyrol's wife Cally was nearly executed by the Cylons by firing squad, Sam Anders's wife Starbuck was held prisoner by the Cylons for the whole length of the occupation, and Colonel Tigh lost an eye and was forced to execute his own wife for leaking a Resistance meeting to keep the Cylons from killing him.[[/note]] and later Starbuck.[[note]]Who had been held by a Leoben who was trying to MindRape her into falling in love with him by StockholmSyndrome, and been told that a toddler Leoben brought in was her test-tube daughter when it was just a girl kidnapped from the colony.[[/note]] [[spoiler:They finally stop what they're doing when they nearly execute Gaeta, only for Gaeta to say something only the Resistance's mole in the Baltar Administration would know.]] As it turns out, they were under orders from President Zarek, who knew that he would be replaced with Roslin anyway and wanted to get rid of the worst collaborators quietly so that Roslin's second term would not devolve into an endless witch hunt. In the wake of this, President Roslin orders that there be no further trials, legitimate or otherwise, and to instead set up a truth and reconciliation commission. Later, Lee claims Gaius Baltar's treason trial is an example of this as well, and he gives a compelling enough argument that the judges acquit him, subverting the trope.

* ''Series/ClassOf09'': Trials by 2034 have become predetermined by the AI, whom the judges and juries almost always follow. Often the 'crimes' are of what someone [[PreCrimeArrest might do]] or only [[{{Thoughtcrime}} thought about]] as well. [[spoiler:Once the AI is overthrown though she's released immediately.]]

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** Blackadder's court martial in ''Blackadder Goes Forth''. The charge: disobeying orders and killing General Melchett's favourite pigeon. The witness: General Melchett. The judge: General Melchett. Before they begin, Melchett says "Pass me [[BlackCapOfDeath the black cap]], I'll be needing that", and the defense attorney is fined for wasting the court's time by turning up. Edmund [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]] the whole thing after the black cap comment by remarking [[DeadpanSnarker "I love a fair trial."]] [[spoiler: [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome Surprisingly,]] George's uncle at the War Ministry overturns the conviction and death sentence at the last second, on grounds of the unfair trial.]]

** In a later episode appropriately titled ''[[Recap/BlakesSevenS2E6Trial Trial]]'', [[spoiler: Blake's arch-nemesis, Travis]] is court-martialed. Although the charges against him ''are true'', Servalan had been protecting him from prosecution - until he had [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness outlived his usefulness]]. She provides him a defence attorney with orders to throw the trial, but he takes the initiative to give his own closing statement. He is still found guilty and sentenced to death, but ultimately he escapes in the confusion when [[WayToBreakItHero Blake performs an attack on the station]].

--->'''Bronn''': If you ever find yourself arrested in the Seven Kingdoms, just remember that justice is up to the judge. Beg him for forgiveness, or pay him for it, or ask to be allowed to take the black; but remember that he doesn't have to let you. There are plenty of lords out there who think hands and heads are great decorations for their spikes. The septons claim that justice is of the gods. [[JerkassGods Nice of them to keep it up there to themselves]].

--> '''Jane''': Why do they call it a kangaroo court? Are kangaroos known for being particularly unjust compared to other marsupials?

** Subverted in "[[Recap/RedDwarfSeasonVTheInquisitor The Inquisitor]]". While the odds of any of them proving that their existence is worthwhile are slim to none, this is not a Kangaroo Court - they are being judged ''by their own consciences''. The outcome is still unjust, however, as the nobler ones judge themselves too harshly and the self-absorbed ones let themselves off the hook. To give non-fans an idea, Rimmer, an amoral coward with an undeserving massive ego tries to say he's done good things, but can't lie to himself as The Inquisitor repeatedly points out that Rimmer isn't a good man. Rimmer blames his parents and that ends up being OK. The Cat gives a very weak case: "I have given pleasure to the world because I have such a beautiful ass." He gets off as well. Kryten says that all of his good deeds are simply because of his programming as an android, but the Inquisitor repeatedly points out that Kryten is the most selfless person on the ship. The only one who really deserved deletion was Lister. The Inquisitor points out all the opportunities he had in his life that he wasted, while encouraging him to make some sort of argument that would justify himself, which Lister refuses to do.

* The series finale of ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}''. The main characters are put on trial for violating a newly implemented "Good Samaritan" law[[note]][[ArtisticLicenseLaw which isn't even a real]] [[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_Samaritan_law Good Samaritan law]], which protect people who help others when they need from lawsuits, so that people who may help are less hesitant to do so, but a [[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duty_to_rescue Duty to rescue]] law, which imposes an obligation of helping those who need on those who may, by way of paying torts or fines or even being imprisoned[[/note]] by failing to intervene in a robbery. Firstly, the only way for the police officer to have known that they watched the whole thing and didn't intervene is if he himself had watched the whole thing and failed to intervene. Secondly, even putting aside the ridiculous terms on which they are brought to trial, the majority of the trial consists of characters from previous episodes who hate the main characters testifying against their character by telling very one-sided accounts of events that had occurred. While some of the witnesses do testify to actual wrongdoings of the quartet, many of the accusations made against them are either misunderstandings or blatantly false, yet none of the four are ever seen being given the chance to defend themselves by giving their side of the story. When their lawyer rightfully objects to this, the prosecution retorts that [[InsaneTrollLogic it took a lot of effort to find all the witnesses they did, which somehow makes their testimony relevant]]; the judge agrees. In the end they're all sentenced to a year in jail, essentially for the crime of "being dicks," despite for the most part never having broken any real laws.

** In another episode, a couple of [[HumanAliens Kromagg]] soldiers are tricked and overpowered by the sliders. This results in the other Kromaggs going on a wild goose chase. When the ruse is discovered, the two soldiers' superior officer doesn't appear angry. Instead, he tells them that there they will face an ''unbiased'' trial and a full military execution - "it will be very nice". So much for "unbiased".

* In ''{{Series/Survivors}}'', Samantha Willis runs this as a matter of course. In the first case, she convicts and sentences to death a looter without even hearing any evidence, then immediately shoots her. Next, when Tom's the one on trial, again no actual evidence gets heard - Abby, who's acting as his lawyer, is not allowed to question the sole witness against him. She's already arranged it so enough jurors will vote him guilty beforehand for a majority verdict, but when this doesn't work, Willis just dismisses them and convicts Tom anyway. He's then {{made a slave}} as punishment.

* ''Series/TheWalkingDead'' had one in the season 5 finale. The community Alexandria holds a meeting one night to decide what to do with Rick after he went crazy in the streets last episode waving a gun around and threatening to take over. Despite various members of the group speaking in Rick's defense and how Alexandria needs him, the town seems convinced to expel him. Before a decision can be made though, Rick comes in and reveals he stopped several walkers that made it through the gate before they could kill anyone. He makes a speech about how he will protect Alexandria and then [[spoiler:Pete comes in and tries to kill him with Michonne's katana. He accidentally kills [[CoolOldGuy Reg]] instead and Deanna gives Rick permission to kill Pete.]] The town meeting ends with the decision for Rick to stay.

** In "[[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS02E25Tribunal Tribunal]]," the Cardassian system of justice operates on a similar system. All trials are conducted with the outcome predetermined. And those accused are always guilty. Not guilty until proven innocent, just guilty. The function of the trial is simply to show to the public the futility of rebellion against the state and to help the accused come to terms with their guilt. At the beginning, the judge announces, "The verdict is guilty. The sentence is death. [[ComicallyMissingThePoint Let the trial begin]]." In the same episode, O'Brien tries to refuse answering an obviously provocative question. The judge replies that, under Cardassian law, he must answer the question. Sorry, no "taking the Fifth" in a Cardassian court. The entire episode, in fact, came about from a single line in a prior episode: "On Cardassia, the verdict is always known before the trial begins, and it's always the same." [[spoiler:His defense attorney is very upset when O'Brien manages to become the first defendant to ever be acquitted despite this: "They'll ''kill'' me!"]]

** Worf and Ezri Dax are captured by the Cardassians and are informed they are being charged as war criminals. When Dax demands to know what the charges are, Damar tells her "You don't need to know that. All you need to know is you will be tried, found guilty, and executed." Interestingly, later Damar mentions they can't just summarily execute them, as the trial needs to occur and the sentences need to be given. Apparently they still have a right to have a show trial. [[spoiler: Fortunately for them their conviction syncs up with Damar's HeelFaceTurn and he helps them escape.]]
** Seemingly sent back in time under uncertain circumstances, Sisko, Odo, and Garak find themselves in the bodies of Bajoran men soon to be condemned for an assassination attempt against Dukat during the Bajoran Occupation. Odo attempts to convince the station security officer, his Cardassian predecessor Thrax, to run a real investigation, but as Thrax coldly informs them, their case has sufficient evidence for a conviction and will be brought before a special tribunal, whereupon they will be informed of the sentence just ''before'' it meets. [[spoiler: Subsequent events reveal that these words were actually spoken by Odo himself as the station's new security chief, and his belated realization of the miscarriage of justice he caused in sending three innocent men to their deaths was what sparked his obsession with justice rather than law as a path to order.]]

* ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'': In "Judgment", Captain Archer is sentenced to death by a Klingon tribunal (for "aiding rebels", when he was just protecting some unarmed colonists from being destroyed by a Klingon cruiser) and must 'prove his innocence' to be acquitted -- a task his Klingon advocate knows is hopeless. In fact the advocate gets sent to Rura Penthe with Archer for criticizing the justice system. The episode shows how the ancient Klingon values of 'honor' were being eroded by a 'might is right' attitude.

* Showed up twice in ''Series/TalesFromTheCrypt''.
** In "Let the Punishment Fit the Crime," an AmoralAttorney is tried in a court with no due process, no jury, and highly [[DisproportionateRetribution disproportionate]] sentences.
** "The Third Pig", a bloody retelling of "Literature/TheThreeLittlePigs" had the third pig tried for the murder of his brothers. The judge, a wolf, is more interested in a golf game than the case and immediately hands the case off to the jury, [[JokerJury all wolves]], who deliberate in less than a second.

* ''Series/Watchmen2019'': Veidt is faced with one of these, with the Warden as judge. He doesn't help this by refusing to participate, breaking wind instead of defending himself. This is annoying enough that the Warden has the jury of cloned servants replaced with ''pigs''. He interprets one's squeals as a guilty verdict. In fairness, we don't see all of the evidence they present (Veidt really is guilty of everything said in the prosecution's closing statement) though obviously the rest still counts. A flashback also shows that suspected terrorists in Vietnam didn't even get this- once she identifies a man as participating in a suicide attack (which again, he did do) he's simply taken away and shot without trial.

* ''Series/{{Andor}}'': Cassian is arrested simply for being near some sort of anti-Imperial disturbance, and in short order he is charged with vague crimes, given a token show trial where no evidence is presented against him, gets no lawyer or opportunity to defend himself, and is promptly sentenced to six years in a forced labor camp [[spoiler:that no one ever leaves]]. The most glorious irony being that they never find out he's living in hiding under an assumed name after he genuinely committed ''much worse'' crimes.