[2] A kangaroo court could also develop when the structure and operation of the forum result in an inferior brand of adjudication.
In the late 1700s, British courts began sentencing people convicted of various crimes to penal transportation to Australia.
Some sources suggest that the term may have been popularized during the California Gold Rush of 1849 to which many thousands of Australians flocked.
It could be from the notion of justice proceeding "by leaps", like a kangaroo[6] – in other words, "jumping over" (intentionally ignoring) evidence that would be in favour of the defendant.
For example, many Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball teams have a kangaroo court to punish players for errors on the field, being late for a game or practice, not wearing proper attire to road games, or having a messy locker in the clubhouse.