or BARRETOR, in the law of England, a person guilty of bartrryy. See BARRATRY.

Lambert conceives the word barretor to have been formed from the Latin balatro, a vile knave; but the proper derivation is from the French barrauteur, a deceiver; and this agrees with the description of a common barretor given by Lord Coke, namely, that he is a common mover and maintainer of suits in disturbance of the peace, particularly by taking and detaining the possession of houses and lands or goods by false inventions or pretences. Hence it is said that a common barretor is the most dangerous oppressor in the law; for he oppresses the innocent under colour of law, which was made to protect them from oppression.