In today’s world, a lot of terms don’t have a definitive answer and, instead, are used in common parlance. Hometowned falls into this category. It is a slang term typically used within the legal community, but it has no universal meaning.
In broad terms, hometowned is used to describe someone who was not treated fairly in court, typically due to their location or hometown. It can be used to describe instances in which someone was treated particularly harshly, or alternatively to describe someone who received favorable treatment because they were from the same place as the judge, lawyers, or other people involved in the trial.
For example, a plaintiff who comes from the same small town as the judge may be said to have been “hometowned” if the judge rules in favor of the plaintiff, or alternatively if the judge rules against the plaintiff despite some clear legal discrepancies.
Getting the Most From the Legal System
One way to potentially avoid the risk of being hometowned is to find a lawyer from the same jurisdiction who understands the local legal etiquette and can push back against any perceived bias. They can also offer sound legal advice on how to approach trials and other proceedings. However, it is important to remember that every case is different, so it may not be possible to totally avoid the possibility of hometowned.
Overall, hometowned is a difficult term to define and its meaning varies from one jurisdiction to the next. However, it is something that those involved in the court system should be aware of in order to get the most out of the legal process.