I've been looking for the English name for a sophism, where someone – or for that matter, their actions – is judged according to their
alleged intents, usually false or unprovable.
I know this fallacy is called a
trial of intent or
judgment of intent in other languages, but I don't know of any fallacy with that name in English.
Also, this fallacy is not actually a variant on the
ad hominem fallacy, as the latter is basically a red herring – it shifts the focus from the argument to the person making the argument. The fallacy I'm describing, meanwhile, is not a red herring since it's usually used when the person being judged, or their action, is already the main focus of the debate.
It isn't a strawman either, since this one is about misreprenting a claim or an opinion
expressed by the debater, whilst the sophism I'm describing is merely an allegation about someone's intent.
I shall give an example to illustrate what I'm describing:
People who give to charity are hypocrites. All they want is to portrait themselves as good people and get a tax deduction.
I hope you get a good understanding of what I am describing. Thanks in advance