I remember my mother once getting an unfavorable decision in court (civil trial) and faked crying in court to attempt to reverse the decision.

That’s called a “pity ploy” or “pity play” and is commonly used by narcissists and sociopaths to manipulate people to get their own way.

For me it was the discovery that my parents were shitty people on the narcissism spectrum. I had no clue, because when you grow up in a toxic environment, it’s your “normal” and all you know.