I became an advocate by choice, a judge by chance: Kerala High Court Justice N Nagaresh retires

The Kerala High Court on Tuesday held a full-court reference in honour of Justice N Nagaresh to mark his retirement from office on April 1, 2026.

Delivering his farewell address, Justice Nagaresh reflected on his career and expressed that he would be content if the Bar has found that he was "not so bad" as a judge.

He said that what weighed on him most was not the formal tag of retirement but the thought of parting ways with the Kerala High Court, which had defined his professional life for over three decades.

Justice Nagaresh recounted that while he chose to became a lawyer, his elevation to the Bench was unexpected but one which he thoroughly enjoyed.

"I became an advocate by choice, but a judge by chance. I have thoroughly enjoyed both roles, doing justice to both to the best of my ability," the judge said.

He emphasised the importance of mentorship of young lawyers and advised the new lawyers to train themselves not only in law but also in professional ethics and discipline under the guidance of good senior advocates.

He expressed confidence in the new generation of lawyers, describing them to be highly promising.

"Today, getting into law is as competitive as any profession... Young lawyers joining the Bar are highly promising... My advice to young friends is to train under good seniors during the formative years not only in law, but also in ethics and principles," Justice Nagaresh said.

He also highlighted the growing strength of women lawyers at the Bar, adding that they were among the best in the country.

The retiring judge added that he looked forward to the next phase of his life.

"I wish to walk many more miles before the sunsets, enjoying the fragrance of life after retirement and indulging in my favourite pastimes... I will always cherish the memories of my days I spent in this institution as a lawyer and as a judge. I wish this institution ever-enhancing glory and unfading fame," Justice Nagaresh said, as he concluded his speech.

The full-court farewell reference was attended by Kerala High Court Chief Justice Soumen Sen, Advocate General Gopalakrishna Kurup K, Additional Solicitor General P Sreekumar and the President of the Kerala High Court Advocates' Association (KHCAA) Peeyus A Kottam, among others.

AG Kurup, in his address, praised Justice Nagaresh's sharp intellect and human approach.

ASG Sreekumar remarked that the judgements rendered by Justice Nagaresh were grounded in legal principles and human realities.

"'Justice, being destroyed, destroys; being preserved, preserves. Therefore, justice must never be violated,' says Manusmriti. My Lord preserved it and protected it and rendered it with utmost clarity, preserving human values," ASG Sreekumar added.

KHCAA President Kottam highlighted Justice Nagaresh's patience and encouragement towards young lawyers. He recalled an incident where the judge had intervened to protect a young lawyer who was being attacked on the road. Kottam stated that such a gesture by the judge was proof that he was a judge of courage and sensibility.

Chief Justice Sen observed that Justice Nagaresh's tenure was marked by integrity, diligence and judicial excellence.

"For him, justice is non-negotiable, the quality of mercy should not be strained and he was ever merciful. A judge is remembered for behaviour, humility, courtesy and conduct apart from his knowledge, he exemplified all these qualities," Chief Justice Sen said.

Justice Nagaresh was born on April 1, 1964. He obtained his law degree from the University of Bombay in 1989 and enrolled as an advocate in the same year, commencing his practice at Ernakulam.

He was appointed as an additional judge of the Kerala High Court on November 5, 2018 and was later elevated as a permanent judge with effect from September 14, 2020.

[Live Coverage]