professional courtesy
1
free service that people of the same profession provide for each other, especially common among physicians
- As a gesture of professional courtesy, the lawyer offered free legal advice to her colleague.
- Physicians often extend professional courtesy to fellow doctors by waiving consultation fees.
- The accountant provided professional courtesy by offering a discounted tax preparation service to her colleague.
- In academia, professors may grant professional courtesy by reviewing each other's research papers without charge.
- Professional courtesy among architects often includes sharing industry insights and best practices without charge.
2
a practice in which law enforcement officers refrain from arresting or reporting fellow officers for certain infractions, such as traffic violations or minor offenses, out of mutual respect or solidarity
- The officer let the speeding driver go after discovering he was a fellow cop, citing professional courtesy.
- Critics argue that professional courtesy undermines accountability within law enforcement.
- Professional courtesy was extended when the off-duty officer was found driving without a valid license.
- The department issued new guidelines to limit the use of professional courtesy in misconduct cases.
- Some officers view professional courtesy as a tradition, while others see it as a breach of ethics.