Tags:
Journalism of Courage
First day as lawyer ends with beating a hasty retreat
My first appearance in court and I was ready to unleash my legal expertise and fight for justice.
After three years of wading through law books the size of phone directories and a year of carrying files and briefs the legal kinds, I mean for my seniors, my day had finally come.
My senior, a criminal lawyer, had decided to let me argue a case before the court. And here I was in my brand new black suit, which my friends claim makes me look an undertaker. Some charitable ones compare me to an usher at some fancy restaurant. But that8217;s another topic altogether. The point is I had a look of supreme confidence, with my unruly hair gelled in place and a clean-shaven face. And most importantly, I had strengthened my argument with words, which I assumed would carry an impact. However, I was to be proven wrong very soon.
We were representing a businessman who had been handed a bad cheque by a crafty gentleman. The businessman had decided to take recourse to the law, which is where Atticus Finch Jr as yours truly fancied himself to be then came into the picture. So when the case number was called out in the court of a local magistrate, I got up and gave a little tug at the lapels of my suit rather pompously before starting my argument had observed some lawyers do this in movies with dramatic effect.
8220;Your Honour, this is a perfect case of the accused trying to circumvent his liability to pay,8221; I said in a single breath. This is where the magistrate, a very genial looking chap till now, stopped me with a glare. 8220;He is trying to what?8221; he demands with a wrathful bark. 8220;Uh8230;uh8230; sir8230;he8230;Uh,8221; I stuttered. My confidence completely deflated by then. A few veteran advocates8212;who probably spent their lives in that courtroom discussing cricket scores with the magistrate during uneventful days8212;sniggered behind me.
This bolstered my effort to salvage whatever confidence I had worked up before this shameful interruption. 8220;He is trying to circumvent his liability to pay, sir,8221; I mouthed nonchalantly. At that moment, the distinguished jurist looked ready to throw the gavel at my gelled head.
For my part, I just wanted to crawl into a big hole and hide myself. 8220;Your Honour, may I request for an adjournment? I am afraid this case is too complex for me to argue and my senior is not well today. He would surely appear in court on a given next date and argue the matter out,8221; I said quickly. By then, a voice in my head was screaming at me to take evasive action.
With an affirmative grunt, which also communicated his thoughts not very complimentary about my capacities, the magistrate flicked his pen on a file and started scribbling furiously. This day8217;s hapennings are one of the reasons why I gave up a career in law. However, as a crime reporter now, I8217;m hardly away from it.
jai.hemmadygmail.com
