benchslap

noun, verb — 2 senses

noun

Etymology Blend of bench + bitch slap.

Law Slang A judicial ruling or opinion that is harsh or humiliating towards a particular party, attorney, or lower court opinion.

2012, Mark V. Holmes, United States Tax Court, Tigers Eye Trading, LLC v. Commissioner (dissenting), 138 T.C. No. 6, p. 211. Of all the routines in judicial gymnastics, few have a higher degree of difficulty than the reverse benchslap, and we're trying for a combination double with our Opinion today.

verb

Etymology Blend of bench + bitch slap.

Law Slang To issue a judicial ruling or opinion that is harsh or humiliating towards a particular party, attorney, or lower court opinion.

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.