Justice GR Swaminathan of the Madras High Court issued a notice on Monday allowing young mothers with personal constraints to seek a specific time slot for arguments in advance should they require to be accommodated..The judge was driven to make this arrangement when a lawyer requested the court to adjourn the hearing in a case instead of passing it over. On Justice Swaminathan enquiring the reason for his inability to appear at 4 pm on the same day, the counsel told the court that he was to pick up his child from school at 3.30 pm.“This incident made me think. There are quite a few young mothers practicing before me. They may have similar difficulties. I think it is my duty to accommodate them,” the notice read..Therefore, he said that such persons may inform the court staff in advance and ask for a specific slot. The judge, however, stressed that this accommodation would be conditional to them preparing the case well so that they consume minimum amount of time.“They must pass on the dates and events, case-laws on which they are going to rely, the propositions which they want to advance to the court officer a day earlier,” the notice further instructed..Additionally, it was clarified that this concession was only available to independent practitioners, and those part of an office could not seek a time slot for the benefit of their “male seniors.”.This arrangement will come to effect starting July 5, 2022..[Read Notice]
Justice GR Swaminathan of the Madras High Court issued a notice on Monday allowing young mothers with personal constraints to seek a specific time slot for arguments in advance should they require to be accommodated..The judge was driven to make this arrangement when a lawyer requested the court to adjourn the hearing in a case instead of passing it over. On Justice Swaminathan enquiring the reason for his inability to appear at 4 pm on the same day, the counsel told the court that he was to pick up his child from school at 3.30 pm.“This incident made me think. There are quite a few young mothers practicing before me. They may have similar difficulties. I think it is my duty to accommodate them,” the notice read..Therefore, he said that such persons may inform the court staff in advance and ask for a specific slot. The judge, however, stressed that this accommodation would be conditional to them preparing the case well so that they consume minimum amount of time.“They must pass on the dates and events, case-laws on which they are going to rely, the propositions which they want to advance to the court officer a day earlier,” the notice further instructed..Additionally, it was clarified that this concession was only available to independent practitioners, and those part of an office could not seek a time slot for the benefit of their “male seniors.”.This arrangement will come to effect starting July 5, 2022..[Read Notice]