Do Americans have a term for what Australians call a "bush lawyer"?

[-]

Prison lawyer or jailhouse lawyer because that is usually what they are. We don’t really have freelance legal beagles here.. but in prison, where people have lots of time on their hands, smarter inmates will read the law, usually to assist themselves in their own cases, and often wind up dispensing advice to others. Felons of various kinds can’t legally practice law as full blown attorneys, so they wind up I’d guess as something akin to bush lawyers.

[-]

thattogoguy@reddit

In the military, we call such a person a "Barracks/Dorm Lawyer."

[-]

MoreCheesePlease8675@reddit

A quack maybe?

[-]

a11encur1@reddit

Armchair lawyer.... armchair therapist.... armchair doctor, etc

[-]

QuirkyCookie6@reddit

The sovereign citizens do this all the time

[-]

Accomplished-Park480@reddit

I don't know how widely it's used and it's a much more specific than what you describe but "jailhouse lawyer." For lawyers, that's used when you are talking with a client that is in jail and insists that their cellmate has stumbled across the one simple trick that DAs hate. An aside here, linguistically, it's kind of strange because jailhouse in and of itself is not really a term used outside of that context.

[-]

purdinpopo@reddit

In police work we have "street lawyers". Usually friends of someone we are trying to talk to. Lots of the time I will see a suspicious event, or be called to one. Try to talk to the person. A lot of the time if I get simple clarification, or just get a decent excuse, I am going to use my discretion, tell the person to quit doing the thing that could get them in trouble and I will leave. But the street lawyer walks up tells their buddy, they don't have to talk to me, or starts spouting wild and inaccurate legal arguments. I will often just take the person into custody just so I can get the person out of the chaotic environment to figure out what really happened. This often leads to charges that never would have happened had everyone just been cooperative from the outset. Most of Reddit goes with the philosophy that cops are bastards who are just out to treat people terribly. I got in the job to help people.

[-]

TorpidProfessor@reddit

but you just admitted people asserting thier rights often gets them charged in situations where they wouldn't be otherwise?

if you're actually one of the good ones. ACAB is correct.

[-]

Tullyswimmer@reddit

Let's say you get pulled over. And the cop comes up and asks "Do you know why I pulled you over"

If you say "I don't have to talk to you" and refuse to cooperate, you're asserting your rights. they're within their rights to arrest you.

If you say "No" the cop has a chance to say "well, your tail light is out", and if you provide your license and registration, you'll probably get a simple fix-it ticket. Had you been obstinate, refused to cooperate, and gotten arrested, you might end up getting charged for something instead of having to go to an auto parts store and get a $15 light bulb.

[-]

offensivename@reddit

It doesn't seem ridiculous to you that a cop would arrest someone for a broken tail light simply because they're being cautious and trying not to give the police anything that could be used against them? Shouldn't everyone be treated equally?

[-]

Tullyswimmer@reddit

I mean, if you absolutely refused to cooperate with a traffic stop, I don't know what else the cop is supposed to do other than arrest you. It's lawful for them to ask you for your ID/registration and such.

[-]

offensivename@reddit

I didn't mean refusing to provide your license and registration. I meant citing your right to remain silent and refusing to ask additional questions.

[-]

OneThree_FiveZero@reddit

That exact thing happened to me a few years ago. When I was pulled over I didn't go blabbing to the police officer but I wasn't rude either. I was polite, fully rolled down my window, put my keys on the dash where he could see them. You can do all of that without answering substantive questions.

The officer appreciated that I was polite so he gave me what's called a repair order rather than a ticket. I had to get the busted light fixed within X number of days but there was no fine or anything like that.

[-]

Tullyswimmer@reddit

The only time I've been pulled over as a driver, I put the keys on the dash, and I immediately knew what it was for. I was doing 45 in a 25 school zone, because the 25 mph limit was only in effect between certain hours on school days, and it was a 45 zone the rest of the time. There were no blinking lights on that sign, it said something like "7:00-8:30 AM, 2:30-5:30 PM". I didn't know it was a school day - the school sign said "no school" that day, but it was a professional development day and there was a track meet, so it counted.

When the officer pulled me over and asked why, I said "I'm guessing that it's a school day, and that the school zone probably goes later than I thought" - It was like, 5:20 and I thought the zone ended at 5:15 anyway.

I didn't HAVE to say that. But because I explained that the sign said no school that day, and because it was after the time I thought it ended, I hadn't slowed down as much as I should have. I was let off with a warning instead of getting a felony speeding ticket.

[-]

OneThree_FiveZero@reddit

felony speeding ticket

45 in a 25 is not a felony!

[-]

Tullyswimmer@reddit

I don't know if the law has changed, but at the time, 20 over, specifically in a school zone, was a felony.

[-]

mfigroid@reddit

Misdemeanor at worst, infraction at best.

[-]

Tullyswimmer@reddit

Again, this was in NY like, 15 years ago. It may have changed.

[-]

mfigroid@reddit

20 over is not a felony.

[-]

SWIMlovesyou@reddit

In a school zone, that might vary by state. 🤔

[-]

Tullyswimmer@reddit

In NY it is to the best of my knowledge.

[-]

purdinpopo@reddit

I never ask "do you know why I pulled you over?" It's dumb and it stresses people out. "I'm officer _, I stopped you because I observed you doing ____." That sets the parameters. We move forward from there.

[-]

Tullyswimmer@reddit

As a non-LEO, I find that to be a much more preferable option. It doesn't put me, the driver, on the defensive right away, nor does it (technically speaking) ask me to incriminate myself

[-]

purdinpopo@reddit

The way I do it is the norm in my state. Which is the way the State Patrol normally does it.

[-]

5usDomesticus@reddit

That's how I operate.

If you want to follow everything 100% to the letter of the law, I'm willing to oblige.

You'll turn your warning into a ticket and the court can handle it as that's apparently what you want to do.

[-]

Tullyswimmer@reddit

Reddit really blows my mind sometimes. This seems like completely reasonable common sense stuff... You don't HAVE to talk to a cop, you have the right to refuse to cooperate at all until you have a lawyer.

But if there's one thing I've learned from r slash askLE and protectandserve, if you cooperate, and give them the flexibility to use discretion, and that discretion can mean less paperwork... They're very inclined to do less paperwork.

[-]

Ringtail209@reddit

Often things can be explained. If you refuse to talk, police can only work with the information given. Sometimes that information hurts you, sometimes it's neutral, and sometimes the information you provide keeps you out of jail. Saying "never talk to the police" as an absolute is ridiculous.

[-]

On_my_last_spoon@reddit

At the risk of being a street lawyer, it’s within your rights to not talk to the police

[-]

Tullyswimmer@reddit

Obviously it is. But if someone attacked you, you defended yourself, then the attacker called 911 and claimed that you assaulted them... Sure, it's within your rights to not talk to the police, but you're probably going to be arrested and charged (even if the charges are later dropped) for assault.

It would 100% be worth talking to the cop who responded to say that you defended yourself, and give your side of the story. At the very least it's a reasonable explanation of why you injured someone else.

You might still get charged in the latter scenario. But at least in that case, you're giving the officer a chance to say "maybe what was reported to 911 wasn't the whole story"

[-]

desparish@reddit

You are still better off remaining silent and waiting for your lawyer, EVEN if you have a clear case of self defense. There are things you can say in your attempt to exonerate yourself that while seemingly innocent will taint your defense in court. The police are not looking to defend you. They will not disregard that slip of the tongue or inaccurate recall. They will note it down as an inconsistency in your story, and it WILL be used against you in court. That's the point of the Miranda rights.

If you are being questioned about something you did (defended yourself), do not let the officer determine your guilt or innocence. Leave that to a judge.

[-]

Tullyswimmer@reddit

Again, if you remain silent you're being arrested and charged anyway, but the other guy isn't.

If you say it was self defense you at least have a chance that the aggressor also gets arrested instead of being able to walk free until you lawyer up.

[-]

desparish@reddit

Better to be charged and later released than to have the cop arrest you anyway because the other guys story doesn't match yours and it's clear you shot/beat him, then go away for 20 years because something you said tripped up your defense.

You can let them know your position "self defense" but telling your side of the story is risky. Any lawyer - even a fake pretend one like this thread was asking about - should know this.

[-]

purdinpopo@reddit

Prosecutors view a claim of self defense way after the fact as not being credible. A claim of self defense should be established immediately

[-]

desparish@reddit

Re read what I just said. You can claim self defense without giving your entire story at the scene.

[-]

purdinpopo@reddit

You can't just say it was self defense. A self defense claim requires an affirmative statement, an explanation of what led you to defending yourself. If it's mutual combat, or a "fighting words" situation then at the scene is all there will ever be, in fact most simple assaults aren't going to have any further investigation.

[-]

desparish@reddit

You are not required to present your legal defense to the police officer at the scene. If you think that it will help you then I sure hope you never end up having to test the theory.

[-]

Tullyswimmer@reddit

You realize that the person you're arguing with is literally a cop, right? So they're not just speaking out of their ass, they know how this ACTUALLY works.

[-]

desparish@reddit

Sure, doesn't matter.

You have committed an act that if a court doesn't agree you are justified you will spend 20 to life in prison. The officer decides whether to detain or arrest you, but he is NOT the one who decides whether you go to prison for life.

Anything you say he will write down and the state will use to decide to prosecute. If you slip up and say something that accidentally turns it from self defense to mutual combat, or in the heat of the moment you remember a small detail wrong that CAN and WILL be used against you in a court of law.

You might say you never met the guy before - then it turns out he was a coworker 10 years ago you didn't even know existed. That honest mistake will paint you in court as a liar. You never know what might come back on you.

This is why legal experts tell you not to give your entire story to the officer at the scene. You cooperate, follow lawful commands. You can make your self defense plea at the scene. You can give basics such as "He attacked me and I defended myself". But when they start probing for details, that's when you need to decline respectfully. "Officer, I understand this situation is very complicated. I can tell you right now that he attacked me and I acted in self defense. As the stakes are so high, I would like to answer your questions, but only after I have contacted my lawyer and have him present."

The person I'm replying to I'm sure is a professional cop, but no offense, he is not the one that will spend life in prison if some technicality or misstatement or misremembered quote gets out in the police report that causes a jury to doubt the defense. That's why you have a RIGHT to a lawyer and demanding that basic right alone will not get you convicted.

[-]

Tullyswimmer@reddit

This is why jury trials exist though. The prosecution doesn't get to just lock you up for 20 years because you don't remember someone who worked at the same company as you 10 years ago.

And there's a difference between "giving your entire story to a cop" and "don't say a thing"

Again, in the scenario I mentioned, another guy is saying you attacked him (without lethal force, just simple assault, so it's not 20 to life anyway) and he defended himself, when in reality he attacked you, and you defended yourself, even if you beat him up worse than he beat you up.

In that sort of scenario, it's worth talking to the cop and at least saying how he attacked you and that you were defending yourself. Because if you refuse to say anything, you're getting arrested and the other guy is getting asked if he wants to press charges for assault. Which, if he attacked you, he's probably going to do.

If both of you claim that the other attacked first, especially if the original attacker is more seriously injured, and there's no reliable witnesses, the cop has discretion to say "look, one of you is lying, you're both beat up... You can either both go or neither go." because at that point it turns into a he said/he said case ANYWAY.

If the guy in this bodycam footage didn't talk to cops, he's arrested and his baby momma is kidnapping their child and taking her back to Michigan where he'll never see her again: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzDLBq2mo7Q

[-]

purdinpopo@reddit

Basically what I've been saying. If you have knowingly committed a crime and your intention is to get away with it, then talking to the cops is a terrible idea. If you didn't commit a crime, and it's a fairly minor deal then a small amount of clarification can go a long way toward not having a problem.

[-]

desparish@reddit

"Only the guilty use the 5th ammendment and want a lawyer" is a fucked up way of thinking.

I'm done. You guys are what's wrong with the police system - assuming guilt up front and not letting the legal system work the way it is intended to.

[-]

purdinpopo@reddit

I do think it will help. A short explanation would suffice. I wouldn't go into a lot of detail at the scene.

[-]

purdinpopo@reddit

Many places have mutual combat laws. Which means if both parties were fighting then nobody gets anything. But if that guys says you assaulted him. You tell the cop, "I don't talk to cops", then you get arrested or get a summons.

[-]

desparish@reddit

You don't have to be aggressive to maintain your right to silence.

[-]

purdinpopo@reddit

I didn't say being silent was aggressive. But if all I have is what other people said and a "silent" person, then i have no choice but to accept what other people said.

[-]

desparish@reddit

If the police are already questioning you, nothing you say will be used in your defense.

[-]

Ringtail209@reddit

Damn that's crazy. Guess all those reports I've written explaining why the initial suspect was actually the victim just never happened. 🤷

[-]

shoesafe@reddit

It's safety advice. Like evacuating before a hurricane, sheltering in an interior windowless room during a tornado, keeping distance from moose, carrying bear spray, etc.

Sure, sometimes you might've been able to talk to the cops without getting arrested. Sometimes the hurricane is just a rainstorm, sometimes the tornado doesn't touch down, sometimes the bear avoids you.

But if a storm is bad, you're glad you evacuated. If the cops decide you're guilty of something, you sure are glad you waited for a lawyer.

[-]

Ringtail209@reddit

No. What you're saying is like saying "evacuate before all inclement weather." Which is insane advice.

[-]

purdinpopo@reddit

90% of what I'm talking about is never going to involve a real lawyer. Simple assault, trespassing, first time DWI, traffic violations, and user amounts of weed (back when it was illegal). All of those will almost always get you the same deal from the prosecutor without an attorney as you get with one. Having an attorney just moves you up higher on the docket, because people get mad when they see that their attorney did absolutely nothing for them other than give them a bill.

[-]

big_sugi@reddit

What they said is that they’re often willing to allow people to escape the consequences of their actions. But if someone starts insisting on “their rights”—especially for things that are not, in fact, actual rights—then they’ll follow formal procedure and the law as written because they’re no longer able to apply that element of discretion.

[-]

shoesafe@reddit

Though, to be clear, you absolutely have the right to remain silent. You never have to talk to cops alone. You can always wait for a lawyer. Those aren't made up rights.

That's the Miranda warning. It's good that the public is aware of your rights. That's the purpose of requiring Miranda warnings.

And it's good that people remind each other of their rights, to offer them courage in the face of pressure to waive those rights.

[-]

BikePlumber@reddit

The rights have been around longer than the Miranda ruling in 1962.

[-]

jub-jub-bird@reddit

That's sort of a tricky one in that your right to remain silent is your right to remain silent after being arrested but not a right to not get arrested.

If cops are canvasing an area after a crime your refusal to answer might switch the mindset of the cop asking the question from "I'm talking to everyone in the building to identify potential witnesses who may have seen or heard something" to "I'm talking to a suspicious character who can't account for his actions". Bad actors exist and bad faith is a thing that happens but assuming bad faith and that all actors are bad will cause it's own problems.

[-]

purdinpopo@reddit

Miranda doesn't apply in traffic stops, or many personal contacts. A simple "hey I'm trying to do this" goes a lot further than, refusing to talk or being hostile.

[-]

purdinpopo@reddit

Also taking someone into custody isn't necessarily an arrest. On many occasions I have taken the person down to the department, conducted an interview, and released them without charges.

[-]

purdinpopo@reddit

If a crime occurred and I can go either way, then I am willing to give the benefit to the cooperative person. I usually give uncooperative people the opportunity change, but if that's how they want it, discretion goes away.

[-]

purdinpopo@reddit

No if I can't understand the context of a situation, the suspect doesn't help me out, and all I have is the statement of the complainant, then I have to work with what I have.
I have had many situations where someone made a false complaint, the person who was accused was uncooperative and went to jail. When later evidence showed the person making the complaint was actually the aggressor, and would have been charged had the other guy just talked with me.
I agree there are many circumstances where the best course is to remain silent. There are also many situations that could just be a warning or even nothing if you just explain it.

[-]

offensivename@reddit

The idea of ACAB is that all police officers are tools of a broken, discriminatory system. Even if you try to do your best to be helpful, that fact doesn't change.

[-]

cheekmo_52@reddit

That sounds like a bullshit excuse for racial profiling. They don’t have to talk to you, and being told as much isn’t “chaotic” it’s inconvenient for you.

[-]

purdinpopo@reddit

That's kind of racist of you to think that only certain groups of people can create a chaotic situation. I assure you chaos isn't a racially specific trait. Certainly wasn't what I was thinking.

[-]

purdinpopo@reddit

That's kind of racist of you to think that only certain groups of people can create a chaotic situation. Certainly wasn't what I was thinking.

[-]

MadScientist1023@reddit

I thought "street lawyers" were real lawyers who mainly work with poor and working class clients

[-]

purdinpopo@reddit

Those are ambulance chasers.

[-]

shoesafe@reddit

Do you feel like you're helping people?

[-]

purdinpopo@reddit

Yes often. I have had people come up to me years later and say that I helped them. A guy that I sent to prison is a friend now.

[-]

logaboga@reddit

Jailhouse rock

[-]

iapetus3141@reddit

In the navy the term is "sea lawyer"

[-]

Raineythereader@reddit

I think I learned that term from the "Master and Commander" books ;)

[-]

Dizzy_Dust_7510@reddit

In the Marine Corps we called the barracks lawyers.

[-]

Porchmuse@reddit

Same in the Army.

[-]

anothereffinjoe@reddit

Same in the Air Force.

[-]

lantech@reddit

but the Air Force doesn't have barracks

[-]

GroundedSatellite@reddit

Luxury all-inclusive resort lawyer, then.

[-]

GarlicAftershave@reddit

That would be for aircrew and spec ops.

[-]

Derwin0@reddit

Dorm Lawyer

[-]

MaiqTheLiar6969@reddit

The best barracks lawyers are the ones which have been in long enough to know better yet somehow don't. Especially when they start quoting regs with their own interpretation rather than what the regs actually say.

At my first duty station had an E-4 which had been busted to E-1 a few times. Made E-5 once before being demoted over stupid shit. He was good at his job. He just couldn't stop doing stupid shit in his off time. He really sounded like he knew what he was talking about to the new guys like me who didn't know any better though.

[-]

iapetus3141@reddit

That's interesting. I thought marines used naval terminology

[-]

Dizzy_Dust_7510@reddit

We do, for a lot of stuff. But, we're really only on ships when you guys are giving us a ride somewhere. There's a lot more time spent drinking in the bricks listening to some idiot tell you why LCpl Schmuckatelli isn't going to get an NJP for the average marine than there is time spent underway.

[-]

Rimailkall@reddit

We generally do, but barracks are barracks.

On ship/at sea, it would be berthing.

[-]

throwfar9@reddit

“You can definitely call your congressman on that one, man.”

[-]

Jake_Herr77@reddit

“Request mast!! They’ve got nothing man!!”

lol yeah don’t do that.

[-]

bigscottius@reddit

We can them "inmates".

[-]

EcstasyCalculus@reddit

Out of context, I would've expected a bush lawyer to be roughly equivalent to an ambulance chaser, which is what we call a lawyer who is technically qualified but isn't very good at their job and is only interested in a quick paycheck.

[-]

Specialist-Solid-987@reddit

Ambulance chasers can be good at their job, the term is more about them being unscrupulous and opportunistic rather than incompetent

[-]

Practical-Ordinary-6@reddit

If I win your case I'll take my 50% cut.

[-]

logaboga@reddit

ambulance chases implies absolutely nothing about the aptitude of the lawyer themselves. It just implies they chase frivolous lawsuits and/or seek to make money off of people’s misfortunes.

[-]

EcstasyCalculus@reddit

The stereotype, though, is that an ambulance chaser is a hack, like Lionel Hutz from The Simpsons

[-]

batcaveroad@reddit

Same. First thought was something like bush league lawyer. But that would be an actual lawyer who works on minor, unimportant things. Not a wannabe lawyer.

[-]

Unreasonably-Clutch@reddit

"notarios" do that but it wouldn't apply outside the context of exploiting immigrants from hispanic countries.

[-]

AfternoonPossible@reddit

Maybe an armchair lawyer?

[-]

TexasRed806@reddit

Armchair lawyer is the correct answer imo considering the context of what OP referring to.

[-]

Kauske@reddit

I've always found it hilarious when 'armchair' is added to a profession where the norm would be working from a comfy chair... Like 'armchair engineer' or 'armchair architect' as opposed to architects who draft out in the bush..?

[-]

TexasRed806@reddit

Lol that is a great point actually

[-]

Kauske@reddit

armchair general also kinda invokes 'desk general' to me, more than someone who is not at all a military strategist. Stilla bit derogatory in saying 'you have no idea what conditions on the ground are like', but not quite the right word for some dink on the internet that thinks they're an expert while knowing very little.

Maybe we should start calling them 'hobby' like 'hobby engineer', since a hobbyist usually lacks any formal training or OTJ experience. I here that a lot for desk professions.

[-]

CTU@reddit

That was my thought as well

[-]

NukeKicker@reddit

Yes just like armchair quarterback armchair doctor and armchair therapist. Except for an armchair therapist they do actually sit in a chair with armrests so that may not fit totally.

[-]

butt_fun@reddit

Never heard "armchair lawyer", but "armchair expert" is pretty common and a more general version of the same thing

[-]

doc_skinner@reddit

"Armchair general" for military matters

[-]

poorperspective@reddit

There is also Monday Morning quarterback for football for someone that talks about what a team should have done after a game. It can also be extended to anyone that criticizes decisions after the situation.

[-]

Oenonaut@reddit

Did you see that ludicrous display last night?

[-]

RickLovin1@reddit

What was Wenger thinking sending Walcott on that early?

[-]

ZWiloh@reddit

The thing about the Arsenal is they always try to walk it in

[-]

jackfaire@reddit

Sweet I found the people really with it about sports. The it crowd if you would.

[-]

bshjbdkkdnd@reddit

I have generally used Monday Morning QB to refer to someone using hindsight and being shocked at the fact that the person making decisions in the moment don’t know how they will end up

[-]

AfternoonPossible@reddit

I’ve heard armchair used as a general qualifier to describe anyone who’s not actually knowledgeable about xyz topic but talks a huge game like they are.

[-]

iCameToLearnSomeCode@reddit

I agree, I feel like you could add "armchair" before most professions and people would get it.

[-]

Wilahelm_Wulfreyn@reddit

I've never heard of either of those, but I've heard of "armchair quarterback".

[-]

VoidWalker4Lyfe@reddit

Or "Monday morning quarterback."

[-]

msklovesmath@reddit

"Armchair psychologist" comes to mind

[-]

davidgrayPhotography@reddit (OP)

Oh yeah, this is perfect. Thanks!

[-]

LesterMcGuire@reddit

Prison attorney

[-]

Maybeitsmeraving@reddit

This is specific to people who are or have been incarcerated (or at the largest possible stretch, their families) that do a law school amount of research in an attempt to help their own case or the case of another inmate.

[-]

Historical_Umpire363@reddit

Jailhouse lawyer is the term I’ve heard

[-]

Samwise-42@reddit

I believe "Sovereign Citizen" would also qualify as an answer to OP.

[-]

MyMonte87@reddit

Ambulance chaser maybe? Not really but kind of

[-]

gard3nwitch@reddit

No, those are actual attorneys

[-]

manokpsa@reddit

An ambulance chaser is an actual attorney, just a slimeball one.

[-]

peaveyftw@reddit

Or a go-getter

[-]

FootlessData507@reddit

Agree. Fwiw, I am a lawyer, and that's the term I have heard fellow attorneys use for this.

[-]

Hey-Bud-Lets-Party@reddit

Armchair attorney is correct.

[-]

QuesoCadaDia@reddit

Agreed. Never heard it (armchair philosopher, I have heard) but I would immediately understand it.

[-]

biggreasyrhinos@reddit

Bird Lawyer

[-]

wizardyourlifeforce@reddit

I like bush lawyer. I may refer to myself as one from here on out because while technically I’m a lawyer I’ve been so long out of practice that I probably am not qualified to give legal advice but I like to speculate on what’s legal or not.

[-]

HeyPurityItsMeAgain@reddit

Prison lawyer is a thing.

[-]

Ms_Fu@reddit

There's an old lyric "don't trust your soul to some backwoods Southern lawyer", so "backwoods lawyer" might be the term you're looking for. It's an old song though, and I don't know that the term was ever popular.

[-]

schmatteganai@reddit

that's for a real lawyer, just one who practices in a rural area (and in the song, who was ethically compromised by relationships with the judge and opposing counsel)

[-]

schmatteganai@reddit

sea lawyer

armchair lawyer

jailhouse lawyer (but this usually implies actual knowledge of the relevant laws, just most likely without a legal degree. i.e. longterm prison inmates who do legal research to file their own appeals, or advise other inmates, etc)

Reddit lawyer

J.D. from Google

[-]

Delli-paper@reddit

Prison lawyer

[-]

bangbangracer@reddit

Generally, you can add "armchair" to any profession and have it fit that sort of role. It started as "armchair quarterback", or a guy who from his chair at home will tell everyone what the football team should have done or what he totally would have done. Then the "armchair" part started going into other fields. An armchair doctor is just a guy giving their not a doctor advice. Specifically to this, an armchair lawyer would be a guy giving their not a lawyer legal advice.

We also have the term "jailhouse lawyer". This is for your guy in prison who totally thinks they know the law.

[-]

ResidentAssignment80@reddit

Sometimes we'll say University of YouTube Law School or YouTube lawyer because they often get their (misinformation) from YouTube or other social media sources.

[-]

Equivalent-Willow179@reddit

I think I have the answer. It's an armchair lawyer. The term "armchair quarterback" is more common. That's someone who doesn't play sports themselves but sits in their living room explaining what an idiot the coach is and how they could sort all of the team's problems out in an afternoon. An armchair lawyer would be someone who imagines they know better than all of the professionals in that field.

[-]

chriswaco@reddit

Just throw the damn ball downfield. It's not that complicated.

[-]

FiddleThruTheFlowers@reddit

"Armchair x" in general can describe anyone who's unqualified to talk about x, but acts like they're an expert. Armchair quarterback, armchair lawyer, armchair psychologist, that kind of thing.

I can't think of a time when I've specifically heard "armchair lawyer," but I'd know exactly what they meant if someone said it.

[-]

Imightbeafanofthis@reddit

I've never heard the term used in that way before. Armchair quarterback? ✅ Armchair lawyer? ❌

[-]

bigmt99@reddit

I mean I think the figure of speech is “armchair x”, armchair quartback is the most common use of it in a general sense, but you can add it to specific role and it would make sense

[-]

Pac_Eddy@reddit

I haven't heard of it but it makes sense and wouldn't surprise me if it became a thing.

[-]

sadrice@reddit

They are often called “my stoner friend”.

[-]

jptsr1@reddit

"Jailhouse lawyer". Obviously you have to be in a bit if trouble to come across one.

[-]

Spiel_Foss@reddit

Funny thing about Jimmy Vance. He is a middle-class kid from Ohio.

He never lived in Appalachia and was generations removed from Appalachia when he paid to have a book written.

So he isn't even a hillbilly. He is a fraud like most US Republicans.

[-]

Stay_Beautiful_@reddit

Armchair lawyer

[-]

OK_Stop_Already@reddit

Probably "armchair expert" as others have said. It goes for just about any profession too.

I think there's another one for football called "Monday morning quarterback" who is basically a person who criticizes decisions made after knowing what the outcome was

[-]

BlaggartDiggletyDonk@reddit

JD Vance isn't a hillbilly.

[-]

davidgrayPhotography@reddit (OP)

I think he prefers the full name, "Hillthony Williams"

[-]

cyvaquero@reddit

The looks you get when you point out he went to the same Ivies as those "elites" he supposedly hates.

[-]

BlaggartDiggletyDonk@reddit

Not to mention him having grown up in Ohio, because his family had taken the 'Hillbilly Highway' out of Appalachia like so many others.

[-]

nothingbuthobbies@reddit

I don't really know anything about Vance's upbringing, but about half of the state of Ohio is pretty firmly Appalachian.

[-]

BlaggartDiggletyDonk@reddit

His hometown is Middletown. I googled "is Middletown, Ohio, in Appalachia?" This was the top result. From what I gather, it's roughly between Dayton and Cincinatti, and while it's squarely outside the Appalachian part of OH, I guess he does have Rust Belt cred.

[-]

the_dog_goes_bork@reddit

He grew up about an hour from where I live, it is western Ohio and not Appalachia at all. It’s a pretty middle class area.

[-]

phred_666@reddit

He just claims to be one because he spent a summer or two with his grandparents in Appalachia.

[-]

Weekly_Guidance_498@reddit

A Bondi

[-]

Significant-Glove917@reddit

jackleg is one I've heard recently, although I don't think the usage is common, and it applies to anyone incompetent in their profession, but specifically legal professionals.

[-]

bachintheforest@reddit

Not that I’ve heard, but I have heard the term “bush mechanic.” Idk if that’s the same origin or not though

[-]

VixxenFoxx@reddit

Basically the same concept as a back seat driver or a Monday morning quarterback

[-]

os2mac@reddit

also the generic name for someone who "can do it better" from the comfort of their chair is typically referred to as "an armchair quarterback".

The second string junior varsity quarterback who blew out is knee during his one down in the third quarter of a homecoming game 30 years ago.

[-]

os2mac@reddit

I just usually refer to them as "Pundits"

[-]

Commercial-Lack6279@reddit

Bird law.

[-]

pookapotomus2@reddit

Everyone has that one uncle lol

[-]

boozcruise21@reddit

Dont know if there's a name. But the comment section of every news story seems to have lawyers come out and give free advice.

[-]

TheTruckUnbreaker@reddit

"jailhouse lawyer" is a similar term here, it usually some jackass you meet when you got thrown into county lockup who insists he knows how to get you out of whatever you're in for, "you just got to trust me bro".

[-]

Dick_M_Nixon@reddit

"Now I'm just a country lawyer..." North Carolina Senator Sam Ervin would drawl before pontificating at the Watergate hearings.

Here is Jimmy Stewart saying it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOw5F2TRbTk

[-]

No-Past2605@reddit

I've heard the term Sea Lawyer.

[-]

Background-Chef9253@reddit

Not an exact match, but "jailhouse lawyer" means self-trained, not admitted to any bar, and presumbably because they read law books in jail. E.g., to file their on briefs and appeals.

[-]

gutclutterminor@reddit

Charley Kelly. Specializes in Bird Law.

[-]

Future_Elephant_9294@reddit

I think they're called "Redditors" and they wear a badge labeled "IANAL" to identify themselves.

[-]

-Boston-Terrier-@reddit

IANAL but this does check out.

[-]

ambeingheldhostage@reddit

Thanks for letting everyone you do anal but what does that have to do with law ??????????

[-]

-Boston-Terrier-@reddit

Anal is 1/10th of the law.

[-]

duke_awapuhi@reddit

I❤️ANAL

[-]

juanzy@reddit

I'm so glad that 2 semesters of Intro Law was required by my school, because some of those IANAL just say blatantly wrong things about common situations like leases and contracts.

Moral of the story - If you signed it you... should at least chat with a lawyer if it seems fishy. Especially if it's housing related, there's tons of ways to get a pro-bono first look, and sometimes even the case if it's something an advocacy group is trying to catch in a sting.

[-]

BeckieSueDalton@reddit

like leases and contracts

My poor tired brain scanned that as "leaves & contacts" and wondered what the heck I'd missed coming out of SCotUS now. 🤭

[-]

fasterthanfood@reddit

I took one semester of constitutional law as an elective, which was fascinating and serves me in political discussions well on Reddit (the most important place, right?), but I really wish I’d had a class that talked about the kinds of law that actually would be relevant in my life and the lives of people close to me.

[-]

juanzy@reddit

I chose down to the section based on learning relevant law. And the section this professor that I took for both was absolutely terrible - she had 8:00 AM 90 minute blocks. But I also read that she used case study of "relevant law" more than the others that taught the Intros - focus on Property Law, Contracts, Basic Tort, Landlord-Tenant, Small Business, and minor criminal.

[-]

fasterthanfood@reddit

The idea of an 8 am class is making me shudder … despite the fact that it’s currently 7:45 and I’ve been at work for 45 minutes, after a 45-minute commute rather than the 5 minute walk I had in college. Early mornings just hit differently in college.

[-]

juanzy@reddit

On top of that, the 301 was W/F and I took it 2nd Semester Junior Year so it was post-Thirsty Thursday most weeks.

[-]

therealdrewder@reddit

Don't forget the ones labeled "mod"

[-]

Scavgraphics@reddit

aw..you got to the joke 2 hours before me :(

[-]

WarderWannabe@reddit

We often use “bush league” to describe someone who is not up to professional standards in any area.

[-]

Sal1160@reddit

We generally use the term “armchair”

[-]

AliMcGraw@reddit

"Libertarian"

[-]

LukasJackson67@reddit

“Jailhouse lawyer”

[-]

gmanose@reddit

Armchair quarterback. Can be applied to many situations

[-]

bramblefish@reddit

usually just Big Mouth.

[-]

FishrNC@reddit

Philadelphia lawyer

[-]

JuanMurphy@reddit

Shithouse lawyer, in the Army Barracks Lawyer

[-]

ithinkican2202@reddit

We also have this term: "Shadetree", which basically means the same as "bush" in your vernacular.

But I've only seen it applied to mechanics.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadetree_mechanic

[-]

alwaysboopthesnoot@reddit

Ambulance chaser, LaZBoy lawyer, country lawyer, hick from the sticks, trust fund fiddler, banker’s best friend.

[-]

Eclectic-N-Varied@reddit

Sea lawyer

[-]

teslaactual@reddit

Armchair lawyer or keyboard lawyer

[-]

aircraftwhisperer@reddit

Shithouse lawyer

[-]

Its_me_hannah_@reddit

If you’re in the US Navy they’re a “sea lawyer” but idk if that is a term used in the general American vernacular

[-]

PBDubs99@reddit

The person who represents themself in court has a fool for a client.

I think that saying applies, but maybe not American in origin.

[-]

Defiant-Tailor-8979@reddit

Shade tree mechanic is a common term for the auto mechanic equivalent. So shade tree lawyer works as far as I'm concerned.

[-]

canadacorriendo785@reddit

I've always heard the term "bar room lawyer" but I don't see anyone else posting that so it's possible it's a regionalism.

[-]

TheOfficialKramer@reddit

Jailhouse lawyers or in the Air Force they were barracks lawyers.

[-]

SkyPuppy561@reddit

Armchair lawyer

[-]

5usDomesticus@reddit

I'm law enforcement we call them YouTube lawyers.

[-]

ngroot@reddit

IANAL

[-]

Appropriate-Net-896@reddit

In the military we do. We call them “barracks lawyers”. Basically the same naming schema that you Aussies seem to have haha

[-]

squarebodynewb@reddit

We had sea lawyers when i was in the marines.

[-]

ChirrBirry@reddit

In the navy we had Sea Lawyers who would always spout terrible advice

[-]

Bidesign54@reddit

Yes..to quote my drill sergeant, “Shithouse lawyer “

[-]

green_goblins_O-face@reddit

ive never heard bush lawyer.

but the term "bush league" is common in the context of sports.

[-]

Ok-Walk-8040@reddit

We call it The Trump Administration

[-]

These_Science9677@reddit

Bird lawyer

[-]

Dear-Explanation-350@reddit

The military has barracks lawyers

[-]

Trinikas@reddit

Armchair ____________ is the American terminology. Armchair general, quarterback, lawyer, etc.

[-]

Deleterious_Sock@reddit

Expert at bird law

[-]

WarrenMulaney@reddit

Clubhouse lawyer

[-]

Acedmister@reddit

In the military we call them barracks lawyers

[-]

Yeegis@reddit

That’s a Dale Gribble

[-]

big_bob_c@reddit

In the US military they call people like that "barracks lawyers" or "sea lawyers".

[-]

Chuseyng@reddit

In the military, we call them Barracks Lawyers

[-]

lawyerjsd@reddit

We have "sovereign citizens" who are much crazier. But "armchair lawyer" is probably the closest to your meaning.

[-]

twoCascades@reddit

We generally call them “armchair X” where X can be replaced with any profession or hobby.

[-]

Killing_Glee_Softly@reddit

Shithouse lawyer

[-]

soyunamariposa@reddit

Quasi-related, Americans do have the idiom "bush-league" to describe/insult something or someone who really isn't up to snuff or is otherwise an amateur. Apparently like with so much of our slang, the term comes from baseball related to the minor leagues.

[-]

seifd@reddit

No, we have too many actual lawyers to every need one. However, the term "cracker barrel philosopher" has some of the same energy—a self-taught rural expert.

[-]

tnrivergirl@reddit

The hillbillies I know take exception to Vance casting himself as such.

[-]

MuchDevelopment7084@reddit

In the Army. We called them latrine lawyers.

[-]

RedHuey@reddit

Yes, we call it Reddit.

[-]

largos7289@reddit

yes we call them redditors.

[-]

MyUsername2459@reddit

Well, I can think of three related concepts that come to mind:

The Sovereign Citizen: Someone full of conspiracy theory pseudo-legal nonsense thinking they're somehow outside or immune to the legal system through various loopholes where they think they can show up in court and recite a bunch of gibberish they're SURE means they don't have to pay taxes, register their vehicles, pay fines, obey zoning laws etc. . .it never works for them, but it makes a LOT of trouble for people along the way.

The Barracks Lawyer: Someone in the military who THINKS they know all the rules and regulations and how they can use them to their advantage, and gives bad advice to other Soldiers.

The Jailhouse Lawyer: An inmate who is a self-professed expert in the legal system who tries to either pursue their own legal agenda from behind bars, or provide unqualified legal advice to others (which can range from adequate, to absolutely horrible).

[-]

batcaveroad@reddit

Good list. I don’t think we have a general term for wannabe lawyer, but we have specific instances where people give unsolicited advice.

[-]

moonwillow60606@reddit

You forgot the break room lawyer who is an “expert” in employment law and gets it all wrong.

[-]

identify_as_AH-64@reddit

I love barracks lawyers do much because they're so wrong 99% of the time and the advice they give is almost comical if they weren't stearing other soldiers in the wrong direction.

[-]

TheMainEffort@reddit

Hey man, I passed the barracks bar! Anyways, that breathalyzer and blood test is NOT evidence of a DUI, go ahead and refuse NJP big dog.

[-]

identify_as_AH-64@reddit

I will say, denying an Article 15 for a court martial for something small is a really good way for them to drop the issue.

[-]

TheMainEffort@reddit

Yeah, it’s just the risk. Every unit I was in would absolutely court martial you for a DUI. I know a guy they tried to NJP him for a mistake he made on a form(fraud, allegedly) and got out of it by refusing NJP.

[-]

cyvaquero@reddit

Navy version was the "Sea Lawyer".

[-]

Communal-Lipstick@reddit

Its not a common enough problem here to have a name.

[-]

batcaveroad@reddit

We don’t have a direct parallel. Sovcits are like a specific type of that, but their arguments are all about how the law doesn’t apply to them.

Armchair quarterbacks is a thing, and you can put any job there and people will understand. Armchair lawyers, armchair experts, etc. but “armchair lawyers” isn’t really its own thing.

[-]

Nomadic_View@reddit

No. In fact we have laws against the unauthorized practice of law. It is a criminal offense to present yourself as an attorney and argue on behalf of another.

[-]

foxsable@reddit

In tabletop gaming we say “rules lawyer” for a person who comba through books for obscure rules that let you do what you want or argue with the storyteller over trivialities based on rules.

[-]

gremlinguy@reddit

Just for an additional fun fact that this reminds me of and is semi-related, we often refer to something which is not-great or second-rate or unqualified etc to be "bush league."

It's (like half of the American lexicon) a reference to baseball, the minor leagues specifically.

So your friends understanding of law could be bush league, a bad lawyer could be bush league, etc

[-]

Xistential0ne@reddit

We have world renowned Google Lawyers and Google Doctors here.

[-]

nomadschomad@reddit

Armchair lawyer. But that’s adapted from armchair, quarterback, meaning a sports fan who criticizes professional players from the comfort of their sofa.

[-]

doppledeaner1@reddit

In the army we called them barracks lawyer. Some actually did have useful info in regulations.

[-]

bartonkj@reddit

I’m a lawyer and I’ve never heard of a term like bush lawyer for the general population. As other have noted, there are special terms for someone in jail or in the military, but not that I’ve heard that is applicable generally.

[-]

Beautiful_Welcome_94@reddit

Ambulance chaser, but it's pretty rude

[-]

BlowFish-w-o-Hootie@reddit

Jailhouse Lawyer. Anyone who is willing to aggressively argue how to get around a minor pedantic point with very weak standing or justification, especially when the specific point is stated in the rules, laws or instructions but may be an inconvenience in this particular situation.

[-]

daringnovelist@reddit

Schoolyard lawyer or Jailhouse lawyer. These are for people who try to talk their way around rules and laws. (Either to get out of trouble, or more likely to get their way.)

I haven’t heard a specific term for someone who just expounds on law (like, say the way we do with politics and sports?). I think I’d probably call them an armchair pundit or internet pundit.

[-]

shakeyshake1@reddit

The problem is Americans really can become anything regardless of where they come from. I grew up in a redneck town. Now I’m a lawyer. I might be a redneck lawyer, but I’m not sure.

Our authority on rednecks is a comedian from 30 years ago who made a fortune telling jokes that were basically “if you do X, you might be a redneck.”

I’m thinking the terms redneck lawyer or hillbilly lawyer can accurately describe some actual lawyers, so if you called someone a redneck lawyer or hillbilly lawyer, people would assume you were talking about a licensed attorney who is also a redneck or hillbilly.

I generally refer to anyone who wrongly thinks they know the law, but who isn’t a lawyer, by generic terms like idiot, moron, that dumb motherfucker, and so on.

The legal advice subreddit is full of people who fit your description though. I would say it has more people like that than actual lawyers.

[-]

HalcyonHelvetica@reddit

Armchair lawyer is the most applicable version to the scenario you mentioned. Another example is a jailhouse lawyer, a term used to refer to inmates who will try to give others legal advice of wildly-varying quality much to the chagrin of their defense attorneys

[-]

CatBoyTrip@reddit

i had a lawyer named Bing Bush once that was defending me when i was arrested for smoking crack in a bush.

[-]

Efficient_Bluebird_2@reddit

Bird lawyer, or someone so practices bird law

[-]

lorgskyegon@reddit

Simple country hyper-chicken from a backwards asteroid

[-]

nerowasframed@reddit

I demand satisfaction!

[-]

TheBestThingIEverSaw@reddit

I think I've made myself perfectly redundant.

[-]

Sorrowslament1313@reddit

I love Aussie colloquialisms! I dated an Aussie for a couple years we were friends for ages. “Calm your farm” and “were it here to F#%k spiders” were my favorite. I now like this one too.

[-]

YankeeDog2525@reddit

Jailhouse.

[-]

HazyGrayChefLife@reddit

In the Navy, we call them "sea lawyers."

[-]

Spiritual_Being5845@reddit

Shithouse lawyer

[-]

Bubbly_Safety8791@reddit

If it weren’t for the existence of Dave Portnoy obscuring any hope of search results for it, I think ‘barstool lawyer’ would be pretty well understood.

[-]

Life_Grade1900@reddit

I think back in the day it would have been dimestore lawyer.

Given inflation that's probably now the Doller General Attorney

[-]

Wyndeward@reddit

Barracks lawyer, for military law.

[-]

cat_prophecy@reddit

SovCits - "Sovereign Citizens" would fall into this category. They're well versed in "law" that is incorrect or just flat out doesn't exist.

[-]

No_Street8874@reddit

Bird lawyer

[-]

Beneficial-Scene-322@reddit

“ Philadelphia Lawyer “ is a term I used to hear.

[-]

Beemerba@reddit

We have quite a few "jailhouse" attorneys...those that studied law (or just talked to a bunch of inmates) while incarcerated.

[-]

oldmanlikesguitars@reddit

In the Army we had barracks lawyers

[-]

HippieJed@reddit

I have heard the phrase shithouse lawyer in the south

[-]

_haha_oh_wow_@reddit

Armchair attorney.

[-]

maxwasatch@reddit

Redditer

[-]

Carl_Schmitt@reddit

We have a similar term "bush leaguer" as in an incompetent amateur. It's kind of old fashioned, so most of the young people hear probably haven't heard it.

[-]

cgjeep@reddit

I’ve heard sea lawyer, but I work in the maritime realm.

[-]

SublimeRapier06@reddit

Barracks lawyer, in the army.

[-]

DingleMcDinglebery@reddit

TikTok lawyer. There's thousands on reddit.

[-]

KJHagen@reddit

Jailhouse lawyer or shit house lawyer.

[-]

Big_Lab_Jagr@reddit

Bird law - Charlie Kelly

[-]

meewwooww@reddit

Someone who took a semester of pre-law then dropped out of school to wait tables.

[-]

anonanon5320@reddit

Reddit lawyer.

[-]

msut77@reddit

You can say someone got their GED in law

[-]

LJski@reddit

“barracks attorney” is a common term in the military.

[-]

Duque_de_Osuna@reddit

I don;t think we do, not for that specific situation. We have “jail house Lawyer” but that is used someone incarcerated who knows a bit about law, usually spends a lot of time in the law library and can help other inmates it’s minor legal things and admin stuff with some capability. But that is very specific.

[-]

aldmonisen_osrs@reddit

In the military you call them a barracks lawyer

[-]

TheRealestBiz@reddit

We call them “jailhouse lawyers.”

[-]

Straight_Cherry996@reddit

unqualified or self-proclaimed legal expert

[-]

Chimney-Imp@reddit

Armchair ___ or more recently a keyboard _____

Applicable to any profession. I first heard it used as "armchair quarterback" to refer to someone who thinks they're an expert on football and knows better than the professional quarterback or head coach on their team, but has spent every afternoon the past month sitting in their chair and breaks into a light sweat going up the stairs.

[-]

No-Conversation9818@reddit

In the Marines, we called them sea lawyers

[-]

Nozomi_Shinkansen@reddit

Barracks lawyer in the military.

[-]

IMderailed@reddit

The term is shit house lawyer around these parts.

[-]

Davalus@reddit

We mostly just call people like that assholes.

[-]

cikanman@reddit

Reddit user

[-]

AncientChatterBox76@reddit

Jailhouse lawyers are common.

[-]

Aviyes7@reddit

Barracks lawyer and dorm lawyer(often a pre-law student) are some more niche terms.

[-]

44035@reddit

In sports, they use the term "locker room lawyer" for the guy on the team who's constantly stirring up shit.

[-]

SufficientProject273@reddit

Armchair lawyer or more modern vernacular might be basement lawyer.

[-]

BobsleddingToMyGrave@reddit

Youtube/ticktock lawyer

[-]

CreepyOldGuy63@reddit

Guardhouse lawyer.

[-]

greco1492@reddit

Billboard lawyer

[-]

Jazzlike_Way_9514@reddit

Jailhouse Lawyer.

[-]

Rich-Contribution-84@reddit

It’s called bird law.

[-]

TheMainEffort@reddit

In the military we had “barracks lawyers.”

[-]

BillWeld@reddit

Shadetree ____. “Mechanic” is most common.

[-]

Ornery_Gate_6847@reddit

Armchair is the adjective added to most anything to describe a wanna be expert. Armchair general, Armchair lawyer etc.

[-]

DeathByAttempt@reddit

I'd say that Sovereign Citizens have kinda of become that. It's an entire category of non-existent law they try to chain presedent on, a set of beliefs parroted to be made real.

[-]

sharrrper@reddit

Sovereign Citizen arguments all basically boil down to "The law only applies to me when I want it to because I said so"

[-]

Accomplished-Park480@reddit

A little story here, back when I was a young attorney (in the days before widespread social media) I got done with my cases in court that day and the DA said "Hey, take a seat and watch this next case." I figured sure, why not. I then saw a full blown melt down from the pro se defendant about some sovereign citizen bullshit. I asked the DA "What in the actual fuck was that thing?" and explained the whole sovereign citizen thing. I thanked him for the show.

[-]

Aggressive-Farm9897@reddit

I bet it was a pretty informative experience.

[-]

AMB3494@reddit

In the Army we called that a barracks lawyer

[-]

the_dog_goes_bork@reddit

Charlie Kelly, Attorney of Bird Law.

[-]

Sleepygirl57@reddit

Never heard of anything

[-]

Wilahelm_Wulfreyn@reddit

Back-porch lawyer(?)

Do ya'll have anything like "shade tree mechanics"?

[-]

Francois_TruCoat@reddit

Even better, we got the Bush Mechanics.

[-]

SchoolForSedition@reddit

Barrack room lawyer.

[-]

Fire_Mission@reddit

Jailhouse lawyer

[-]

stinkyman360@reddit

JD Vance isn't a hillbilly, he just likes to pretend that he is

[-]

SugarDisastrous5983@reddit

Bird Law

[-]

BoseSounddock@reddit

Dipshit?

[-]

Rando1396@reddit

Not your question, but JD Vance comes up in your search because he wrote a memoir years ago before he was in the senate called “Hillbilly Elegy”

[-]

recaus@reddit

In the Marines we called them barracks lawyers

[-]

Astro-Logic83@reddit

Yes, we call them assholes.

[-]

Karen125@reddit

Prison lawyer

[-]

Scavgraphics@reddit

we call them "redditors" :D

[-]

Usagi_Shinobi@reddit

Barstool lawyer comes to mind.

[-]

mshirley99@reddit

Or barroom lawyer, which I've heard a few times

[-]

Furkler@reddit

In Irish and UK law, there is the concept of a McKenzie Friend, an I qualified 'expert' who may advise an accused or a respondent in court, but who must do it free of charge and they themselves cannot address the court. I always imagined the term referred to some Australian trial in the early 1900s, with McKenzie being someone like Breaker Migrant. TIL, the first McKenzie Friend was allowed in a 1970s English divorce hearing, McKenzie v McKenzie.

[-]

Dis_engaged23@reddit

In the military they refer to "barracks lawyers" or "mess hall lawyers", soldiers or sailors who think they can out argue the officers when they get in trouble or are passed over for promotion.

[-]

silviazbitch@reddit

Fred. Sally. Whatever. I practiced law for 43 years, but half the people I run into know more about the law than I do.

Of course I remember doing the same thing when I was a college kid, insistently telling some bullshit urban legend that I in my adolescent omniscience thought was the truth to a family friend of my girlfriend’s that I later learned was a senior partner of a major law firm. I try to be as patient with the people I meet as he was with me.

[-]

peter303_@reddit

President?

[-]

markmakesfun@reddit

I dabble in “Bird Law.” —Charlie.

[-]

cyvaquero@reddit

Not a general American term, but in the Navy we had "Sea Lawyers" - basically the same thing, it usually didn't work out for them or anyone who tried to follow their advice.

[-]

Illustrious_Hotel527@reddit

aka Attorney General

[-]

W_Edwards_Deming@reddit

Prison lawyer, rules lawyer, argumentative [expletive deleted]

[-]

_Smedette_@reddit

Armchair lawyer/attorney. Jailhouse lawyer.

[-]

LikelyNotSober@reddit

Armchair attorney.

[-]

fromwayuphigh@reddit

Shithouse lawyer.

[-]

Intelligent-Art-5000@reddit

In the military, that person is known as a "Barracks Lawyer" or in the Navy a "Sea Lawyer," but I am not aware of a broader term in the civilian population.

We are already a litigious society overrun with various types of actual lawyers. Not much need to consult the guy down the end of the bar.

[-]

atomfullerene@reddit

Yeah, you want the guy who is seated in a booth past the bar.

[-]

Intelligent-Art-5000@reddit

I had a feeling that a pun like this was inbound.

[-]

sto_brohammed@reddit

In the military we referred to such people as "barracks lawyers".

[-]

drillbit7@reddit

In the US Army it's called a "barracks lawyer," in the Navy a "sea lawyer."

[-]

Sea-Election-9168@reddit

I’ve heard the term “shithouse lawyer”, but I’m old….

[-]

Equivalent-Willow179@reddit

If you put the word "lay" in front of a job it means the person isn't properly qualified but they're considered something of an expert anyway. (Often they do it in their spare time because they've read a lot about it or observed people doing it.) I know that doesn't have the negative implication you're looking for though.

[-]

Phineas67@reddit

Lawyer here from California. We have “jailhouse lawyers” in prisons who are non-lawyers that are usually able to write better than their peers and who build up a following handling fellow prisoners’ paperwork. We also have a class of so-called “sovereign citizens”among the general public who believe they can legally avoid paying taxes, property laws, and regulations through specious reasoning and silly actions. They have fringe ideas about posting signs on their cars or property to excuse legal obligations. “Sovereign citizen” is the term used for those who use pseudo-legal reasoning to reject government authority.

[-]

Slytherin23@reddit

I don't think so. Only a "know it all" or something like that.

[-]

Negative-Image1837@reddit

Jailhouse lawyer is similar but not the same.