My Trial Court colleagues.

One of the most amusing things that you experience in trial courts is the behavior and attitude of the lawyers who have spent their entire professional life in these trial courts. The first and foremost thing that strikes you is that their belief that they are the kings of the bar and they are the ones who define the procedures in trial courts. Whether its filing of any document or taking adjournments, they posses their own signature mannerism. Some of them really take pride in passing frivolous and nagging remarks while you are arguing and they search for opportunities to make you feel inferior by every means except by advocacy.

Like yesterday, in one of the matters before the Hon’ble City Civil Court, one advocate, who is quite senior, appeared in a matter against me and when the matter was called out, she requested the Hon’ble Judge to keep the matter back as her counsel was on his legs before some other Hon’ble Judge. After coming out of the court room, she asked me why I did not say any thing when the matter was called out, to which I replied that there was no need as she was the one who wanted to keep the matter back. On this, she promptly said, “this is not how the Court functions!! You should know what you have to say!!” and I had no option but to wonder about my Court mannerism. And yes, the best of my trial court colleagues comes out at the time of evidence. Their dramatic ways of cross – examining, taking various objection at the time of cross-examinations etc really reminds of some theatrical performance. I must say that it is one of the exhilarating and stimulating experiences to practice in trial courts and you should not miss out on that.