Meaning & use
pervert justice
Last updated
Meaning
phrasefixed phraseformallegal
to dishonestly influence or obstruct a court or legal process so that it gives an unfair result
Grammar: Used as a verb phrase; it takes an object such as justice or the course of justice. It is not used in the passive very often.
Patterns
- pervert justice
- pervert the course of justice
The businessman was accused of trying to pervert justice by bribing a witness.
Judges must not allow anyone to pervert justice, even for a good reason.
She was charged with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.
Common combinations
- pervert the course of justice
- He was jailed for perverting the course of justice.
- accused of perverting justice
- Two officers were accused of perverting justice during the investigation.
- attempt to pervert justice
- The attempt to pervert justice failed when the emails were discovered.
Synonyms and how they differ
- obstruct justice
- This is a close American legal phrase; it focuses on blocking an investigation rather than making the result unfair.
- interfere with justice
- This is a broader phrase; it can describe any improper influence, while 'pervert justice' suggests a corrupt result.
Commonly confused: pervert justice or pervert?
pervert justice vs pervert
As a noun, 'pervert' is an offensive word for a person; as a verb, it means to change something good into something bad. The phrase 'pervert justice' uses the verb meaning.
Practice
The gang tried to ______ justice by threatening the main witness.
Choose one answer.
'Pervert justice' is the fixed legal phrase meaning to dishonestly influence a court. 'Convert' means to change form, 'avert' means to prevent something bad, and 'divert' means to change direction.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “pervert justice”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.