pettifog

To pettifog is ‘to engage in legal chicanery’ or ‘to quibble over insignificant details,’” the dictionary advised.

From Washington Times ● Feb. 2, 2020

When his law lies upon his hands he will afford a good pennyworth, and rather pettifog and turn common barreter than be out of employment.

From Character Writings of the 17th Century by Various

The popular understanding of the word criticize is to find fault, to pettifog.

From Plum Pudding Of Divers Ingredients, Discreetly Blended & Seasoned by Christopher Morley

It wouldn't do me any good to pettifog in this matter.

From Opening a Chestnut Burr by Edward Payson Roe

He had to pettifog or say it was a forgery.

From Dr. John McLoughlin, the Father of Oregon by Frederick Van Voorhies Holman

But Fom was never known to lie; she only pettifogged.

From The Madigans by Orson Lowell

In every part of Italy,—in Malta, in Savoy, in Parma, in Lucca, in Genoa,—and finally even in Spain, he had pettifogged, bullied, threatened, until his opponents had given way.

From Autobiography of Andrew Dickson White — Volume 2 by Andrew Dickson White

Truths once accepted as "self-evident," since become awkward of acceptance, were ever thus pettifogged out of the path, and fundamental principles have in this way prescriptively been tampered with.

From "Imperialism" and "The Tracks of Our Forefathers" by Charles Francis Adams

The advice given yesterday with an assurance that only a settled and undoubting conviction could possibly excuse, was to-day pettifogged away mainly on the ground of Charley's worldly prosperity.

From The Faith Doctor A Story of New York by Edward Eggleston

Fancy a creature that has pettifogged, as an underling too, all his life.’

From That Stick by Charlotte Mary Yonge

The virtue of this concept is that it divorces essential protections from pettifogging debates over the definition of “employee.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 27, 2022

But the vast majority of our elected representatives overruled the pettifogging legalisms of Kennedy and the others.

From Washington Times ● Jan. 13, 2021

On the first day of the Trump impeachment trial, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court John Roberts uttered the word "pettifogging" to illustrate a point.

From BBC ● Jan. 22, 2020

In a similar spirit, there is a rule stating that instruction creep should be avoided and that pettifogging is not welcome.

From Slate ● Jun. 22, 2014

The Barristers of England, how often they degrade An honourable calling to a pettifogging trade, And show how very slight the lines of separation are, Between the cabman's license, and the "licence of the Bar."

From Punch - Volume 25 (Jul-Dec 1853) by Various