noun
General Slang
jailhouse lawyer
· noun · prison
An inmate who plays legal advisor — qualifications optional.
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Definitions
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A prisoner who's read enough case law in the library to file motions, draft appeals and counsel other inmates. Sometimes sharp, often not, occasionally the only legal help anyone on the tier can actually get.
“Talk to Reggie on B-block, he's the jailhouse lawyer — drafted half the appeals on this wing.”
by community
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jailhouse lawyer In A Sentence
Talk to Reggie on B-block, he's the jailhouse lawyer — drafted half the appeals on this wing.
Origin & Usage
American prison usage, in print by the mid-20th century; rose to prominence with the 1969 Supreme Court case Johnson v. Avery affirming inmates' right to assist each other legally.
Variants
jail-house lawyer
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