Chief Justice Gives Courtroom Decorum Reminder To Lawyer

Chief Justice DY Chandrachud gave a reminder on courtroom decorum to a lawyer for starting an argument in the court out of turn. Being infuriated by hearing the comment of the lawyer, the Chief Justice said that the Supreme Court “is not a (railway) platform where you can board any train”, reports NDTV.

In the court, around noon, one of the lawyers stood up and said he had submitted a public interest litigation for judicial reforms and wanted an urgent hearing. But the matter was not listed for the day.

“This is not a platform that you can board any train. Speak to a senior on how to behave in a court and what are the rules. You are a lawyer, right? You should know when and how to mention matters,” the Chief Justice said.

The lawyer persisted and said that he was not against the judicial system but was only asking for improvement.

Upon hearing his reply, the Chief Justice asked where he practices, to which he replied that he appears in the high court and lower courts. Chief Justice then asked the lawyer to practice with a senior who could train him in the courtroom. “Why don”t you work with a senior advocate who can train him in (courtroom) decorum and mannerisms,” he said.

Chief Justice who has been stricter about the Court’s decorum always pulled up the advocates who crossed the etiquette line.

Earlier this month, a lawyer who was arguing in a high-pitched tone was asked to lower his pitch. “Where do you normally practice? You can”t browbeat us by raising your voice. This has not happened in the 23 years of my career, and it will not happen in my last year. Lower your pitch,” he said.

Last year, similarly a lawyer was caught talking over his cell phone inside the courtroom. The Chief Justice who got livid by seeing the behavior of the lawyer asked if the court “is a market where he can chat over the phone”. And then asked the staff to confiscate it.