be in somebody’s pocket
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishbe in somebody’s pocketbe in somebody’s pocketto be controlled or strongly influenced by someone in authority, and willing to do whatever they want The judge was in the defense lawyer’s pocket. → pocketExamples from the Corpusbe in somebody’s pocket• His hands were in his pockets.• His own left hand, he discovered, was in his trouser pocket.• The door from the kitchen into the main hall was always double-locked, and the key was in Billy's pocket.• The keys are in your pocket.• The dilaudid tabs were in the pocket of her cardigan.