councillor of the piepowder court, n. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

councillor of the piepowder court n.

also councillor of the pipowder court

[SE Court of Piepowders, the court of wayfarers or travelling traders; ult. Fr. pieds poudreux, dusty feet]

a pettifogging lawyer.

1890–1904

Farmer & Henley Sl. and Its Analogues 189/2: Councillor of The Pipowder Court, subs. (old). – A pettifogging lawyer. [The Pipowder Court was one held at fairs, where justice was done to any injured person before the dust of the fair was off his feet ; the name being derived from the French pié poudré.] Some, however, think that it had its origin in pied-pouldreux, a pedlar, and signifies a pedlars’ court.