BARRATOR, or BARRATOR, in Law, a person guilty of barratry. See BARRATRY.
Lambert derives the word barrator from the Latin balatro, "a vile knave;" but the proper derivation is from the French barrateur, i. e. "a deceiver;" and this agrees with the description of a common barrator in my Lord Coke's report, viz. that he is a common mover and maintainer of suits in disturbance of the peace, and in taking and detaining the possession of houses and lands or goods by false inventions, &c. And therefore it was adjudged that the indictment against him ought to be in these words, viz. That he is communis malefactor, columinator, et seminator litum et discordiarum inter vicinos suos, et pacis regis perturbator, &c. And there it is said that a common barrator is the most dangerous oppressor in the law, for he oppresseth the innocent by colour of law, which was made to protect them from oppression.