'ARE YOU A NORMAL JUDGE' - PUBLISHED

This post is about my new Book 'Are You A Normal Judge? – On Law and Other Things.

ONCE A LAWYER, YOU ARE ADDICTED

This is the third and the last post of the series 'Working of Our Constitution: Some Experiences'. It talks about my first brush with the Constitution and how I got addicted to the legal profession.

My father VKS Chaudhary is being honoured by Allahabad High Court Bar Association over dinner after his release from jail. He is third from right. In the pictures, one can also see Shanti Bhushan, AP Mishra J. and SD Agarwala J. However, at that time, they were still members of Bar. 

SOME EXPERIENCES

।। Two Classic Books on Our Constitution।। The Kalyan Singh Case।। Once a Lawyer, You Are Addicted।। 

THE KALYAN SINGH CASE

This is the second post of the series 'Working of Our Constitution: Some Experiences'. It talks about the last constitutional case that was argued by me, before I accepted judgeship.

WORKING OF OUR CONSTITUTION: 

SOME EXPERIENCES

।। Two Classic Books on Our Constitution।। The Kalyan Singh Case।। ।। ।। ।। ।। ।। ।। 

WORKING OF OUR CONSTITUTION: SOME EXPERIENCES

TWO CLASSIC BOOKS ON OUR CONSTITUTION

This is the first post of the series 'Working Of Our Constitution: Some Experiences'. It talks about two classic books on our Constitution written by Granville Austin.

 

An interview of Granville Austin by Rajiv Mehrotra

WORKING OF OUR CONSTITUTION: SOME EXPERIENCES

Two Classic Books on Our Constitution।। ।। ।। ।। 

EMPATHY & COMPASSION

This is the last post of the series 'Advice to Young Judges'. If there is no empathy, no compassion, then there is no justice.

This picture is courtesy from this website

Advice to Young Judges

Judges Have Difficult Job।। Why Six & Not Nine Months at JTRI।। Insulting Punishment। । Respect Begets Respect।। Indiscretion In The Court।।Act Without - Pressure, Fear, Expectation।। Decide Without Favour।। Adopt More Active Role।।Raja Bhoj and the Grazier।। Be Open & Correct Mistakes।। Empathy & Compassion।।

INDISCRETION IN THE COURT

 This is the third incident during my judgeship at Allahabad that dealt indiscretion in the court on my part.

Advice to Young Judges

Judges Have Difficult Job।। Why Six & Not Nine Months at JTRI।। Insulting Punishment। । Respect Begets Respect।। Indiscretion In The Court।।Act Without - Pressure, Fear, Expectation।। Decide Without Favour।। Adopt More Active Role।।Raja Bhoj and the Grazier।। Be Open & Correct Mistakes।। ।। ।। ।।

RESPECT BEGETS RESPECT

This is the second incident during my judgeship at Allahabad that dealt with lawyers.

Advice to Young Judges

Judges Have Difficult Job।। Why Six & Not Nine Months at JTRI।। Insulting Punishment। । Respect Begets Respect।। ।।Act Without - Pressure, Fear, Expectation।। Decide Without Favour।। Adopt More Active Role।।Raja Bhoj and the Grazier।। Be Open & Correct Mistakes।। ।। ।। ।।

Be Open & Correct Mistakes

This is the sixth post of the series 'Advice to Young Judges'. It recommends that they should remain open till the end and correct their mistake if it is any.

Satish Chandra J. became Chief Justice of the Allahabad High court and then retired as Chief justice of the Calcutta High Court.  

OLD IS GOLD

This post talks about a very old but still relevant advice to young lawyers. It is contained in 1875 Tagore Law Lectures and was always given by my grandfather and father. But before I tell you about it, a bit about us.

My Grandfather Keshav Chandra Singh Chaudhary and My father Virendra Kumar Singh Chaudhary in our house at 37, Tashkent Road, Allahabad in 1970

Good Judges – Open Till The End

A Judgement is not final till it is signed and sealed. It is important for a judge to be open till it is sealed. 

This post explains the same with an incident, at an early stage of my career, from the court of Satish Chandra J. (01-09.1924 – 24.01.2000). He was a judge of the Allahabad High Court, when I joined the Bar and retired as the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court on 31st August 1986. 

WELL READ PERSON - BEST PREPARED FOR LAW

Felix Franfurter J. - Courtesy Wikipedia

This is the seventh and the last post of the series ‘Command Over Language is an Asset’. It talks about: advice of Felix Frankfurter J. to a young boy, when the boy had asked him how to prepare to become a good lawyer; the secret of KL Misra’s success; and explains the same, with the help of one the finest  science fiction story ever written - ‘Profession’ by Isaac Asimov. 

Command Over Language Is An Asset

One Sentence Changed The Fate।। Advocate General taught English To Me।। Misfortune of Being Opposed by KL Misra ।। Present Evolves Out Of The Past।। Ruling May Not Choke My Intelligence।। Well Read Person - Best Prepared For Law।।

RULING MAY NOT CHOKE MY INTELLIGENCE

This is the sixth post of the series ‘Command Over Language is an Asset’. It recommands watching the best advocates to learn the art - with some experiences of my own.

Nani Palkhivala - picture courtesy Palkhivala Exhibition June 2023 Bombay

Command Over Language Is An Asset

One Sentence Changed The Fate।। Advocate General taught English To Me।। Misfortune of Being Opposed by KL Misra ।। Present Evolves Out Of The Past।। Ruling May Not My Choke Intelligence।। Well Read Person - Best Prepared For Law।।

HAS RHETORIC ANY PLACE IN COURT?

This is the fifth post in the series ‘Command Over Language is an Asset’.

This painting depicting a lecture in a knight academy, illustrates rhetoric. It was painted by Pieter Isaacsz or Reinhold Timm for Rosenborg Castle as part of a series of seven paintings depicting the seven independent arts.  Picture Courtesy Wikipedia

Command Over Language Is An Asset

One Sentence Changed The Fate।। Advocate General taught English To Me।। Misfortune of Being Opposed by KL Misra ।। Present Evolves Out Of The Past।।  Has Rhetoric Any Place In Court।। Ruling May Not Choke My Intelligence।। Well Read Person - Best Prepared For Law।।

PRESENT EVOLVES OUT OF THE PAST

This is fourth post in the series ‘Command Over Language is an Asset’. It talks about my experience with great personality - Kanhaiya Lal Misra.  

Kanhaiya Lal Misra speaking during centenary celebrations of the Allahabad High Court

Command Over Language Is An Asset

One Sentence Changed The Fate।। Advocate General taught English To Me।। Misfortune of Being Opposed by KL Misra ।। Present Evolves Out Of The Past।। Has Rhetoric Any Place In Court?।। Ruling May Not Choke My Intelligence।। Well Read Person - Best Prepared For Law।। 

MISFORTUNE OF BEING OPPOSED BY KL MISRA

This is third post the series ‘Command Over Language is an Asset’. It talks about the case filed by  the acting editor of Blitz in the Bombay High Court for damages against Speaker of the UP Assembly and what happened when Kanhaiya Lal Misra appeared in the case. 

Statue of Goddess of Justice - Themis at Bombay High Court

Command Over Language Is An Asset

One Sentence Changed The Fate।। Advocate General taught English To Me।। Misfortune of Being Opposed by KL Misra ।। Present Evolves Out Of The Past।। Has Rhetoric Any Place In Court?।। Ruling May Not Choke My Intelligence।। Well Read Person - Best Prepared For Law।।

ADVOCATE GENERAL TAUGHT ENGLISH TO ME

Kanhaiya Lal Misra (31.08.1903 – 14.10.1975)

Summary: This is second part of the series 'Command Over Language Is An Asset' told through life of Kanhaiya Lal Misra. 

In this and next post, we will briefly talk about life sketch of Kanhaiya Lal Misra and what I heard about him in the corridors of the Allahabad High Court. 

In other tributes to KL Misra, different words for the same incident are used. However, they are equally, if not more praise worthy than my description. 

I have described them as I have heard in the corridors of the Allahabad High Court.

Command Over Language Is An Asset 

One Sentence Changed The Fate।। Advocate General Taught English To Me।। Misfortune of Being Opposed by KL Misra ।। Present Evolves Out Of The Past।।  Has Rhetoric Any Place In Court?।। Ruling May Not Choke My Intelligence।। Well Read Person - Best Prepared For Law।।

ONE SENTENCE CHANGED THE FATE

Summary: Command over language is an asset for a legal practitioner. It is explained, over seven part series, through life of Kanhaiya Lal Misra (31.08.1903 – 14.10.1975) - one of the greatest advocates of our country, who reined supreme in 1950s and 1960s. 

In the first part, two incidents related to him are narrated: one is by my father VKS Chaudhary and the other is by Vibhav Bhushan Mishra, both senior advocates and later adorned the post of Advocate General.

Command Over Language Is An Asset

One Sentence Changed The Fate।। Advocate General taught English To Me।। Misfortune of Being Opposed by KL Misra ।। Present Evolves Out Of The Past।। Has Rhetoric Any Place In Court?।। Ruling May Not Choke My Intelligence।। Well Read Person - Best Prepared For Law।।

Sealed Cover Culture – Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics

KC Agarwal J.

Summary: This post is about injustice caused by ‘Sealed Cover Culture’ at early stage of my career'; how I tried to remedy it, when I was a judge; and what is correct law in this regard.

How Should a Judge Be

Like the judge Bharti is.

A common theme in judicial academies across our country. This post is about this famous tale and how I heard it for the first time.

Another such popular fable is of King Solomon from Abrahamic ethos. It has been narrated here and here. 

Bharti presiding over the debate between Mandan Mishra and Adi Shankaracharya - Painting courtesey Smt. Indira Singh w/o Late Lt. Gen Vijai Singh, Retd. Vice Chief of Indian Army

Justice – Not My Job

 Summary: This post is about nature of judging or dispensing justice.

The Judgement of Solomon - a story from  the Hebrew Bible, where he was asked to decide the true mother of a child among the two women.  Solomon revealed their true feelings and relationship by suggesting the baby be cut in two and each woman to receive half. With this strategy, he was able to find out  true mother. Great example of administering justice with wisdom. Picture - Courtesy Wikipedia