judge shopping

American  

[juhj shop-ing] / ˈdʒʌdʒ ˌʃɒp ɪŋ /

Or judge-shopping

noun

Law.

1. the act or practice of filing a lawsuit in a district where the case will be assigned to a judge who is likely to find in your favor.

   The case was transferred to a district with multiple judges to avoid the perception of judge shopping.

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Etymology

Origin of judge shopping

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

The process is known as judge shopping, and the committee that makes policy for the federal courts just moved to put an end to it.

From Los Angeles Times

Plowman also warned Davis’ attorney to be careful of “judge shopping,” a tactic that involves trying to cycle through judges on appeal until finding one that may agree to accept the plea.

From Washington Times

Joseph H. Harrington, a former U.S. attorney for Eastern Washington, said judges in the district are randomly assigned cases, so “there would not be what you would typically call judge shopping.”

From Washington Post

Even the perception of judge shopping, the federal government argued, could erode public trust in the justice system.

From Washington Post

The case has also raised concerns about judge shopping, a term for litigants seeking to file cases in front of judges they consider sympathetic to their cause.

From Seattle Times