BARRATRY, in English and American law, is the indict able misdemeanour (more usually called common barratry) of habitually inciting and stirring up quarrels in disturbance of the peace, either in courts or elsewhere, and is punishable by fine and imprisonment. In 8 Co. Rep. 36 it is defined as "habitually to move, excite or maintain suits and quarrels." By a statute of 1726, if the person guilty of common barratry belonged to the profession of the law, he was disabled from practising in the future. For nearly two centuries there had been no record of an indictment having been preferred for this offence, but in 1889 a case occurred at the Guildford summer assizes, R. v. Bellgrove (The Times, July 8, 1889). As, however, the defendant was con victed of another offence, the charge was not proceeded upon.
In marine insurance barratry is any kind of fraud committed upon the owner or insurers of a ship by a master with the inten tion of benefiting himself at their expense. In bills of lading it is usual to except it from the shipowners' liability (see AFFREIGHTMENT).