Judges’ farewell speeches – amusing, calming or contemplative – offer many insights about them as people.
Judges’ farewell speeches – amusing, calming or contemplative – offer many insights about them as people.
In India, Supreme Court judges retire at the “young” age of 65. Some argue that his retirement age should be raised to 70. Role of Senior Advocate VJ Taraporewala Tales of Bench and Baru tells a story about Federal Judge Wesley Ernest Brown, 103, who presided over the test with a tube down his nose and fed him oxygen. Obviously, federal court judges in the US can remain on the bench if they demonstrate “good behavior”. “At this age I’m not even buying green bananas,” Judge Brown told lawyers during a lengthy hearing about his suspicions of overstaying the case.
Unlike Justice Vivian Bose, who was described by Chief Justice M. Hidayatullah as “a successful lawyer, a great judge, an experienced scout, photographer, magician, water-disabled and traveller”, Judge Brown believed in cultivating hobbies. could not. What else can we expect from a man?”
After countless hours of reading legal briefs and hearing cases, a judge is finally set free on the day of retirement. Outgoing Chief Justice RM Lodha, who fought for judicial independence in his last days on the court, expressed his relief in the context of cricket: “There is No second innings for me. i want my freedomSome judges remain in demand for their expertise even after retirement. For some, retirement is just the beginning. George H. Gadbois Jr. recorded Chief Justice MC Mahajan saying at the farewell banquet that he would “play the role of an agitator”. We were going to play, because nothing succeeds in this country except agitation”.
A retired Supreme Court judge begins his last day with the Chief Justice of India Ceremonial Bench, The judge receives the gratitude and admiration of the leaders of the bar. the judge is then present Farewell ceremony organized by Supreme Court Bar Association In the evening. In general, farewell speeches give us many insights about the judge and are often memorable. Sometimes, judges talk about the camaraderie they share with their colleagues. In Whispers of the Supreme: Conversations with the Judges of the Supreme Court of IndiaAbhinav Chandrachud recalls how Chief Justice SR Das, in 1959, “hilariously teased” an unmarried Justice AK Sarkar: “My brother Sarkar has been a spectator on the highway of life. He goes to dinner but He doesn’t eat; he watches other people eat. He has attended many processions but he hasn’t married. But I don’t know if he will change his mind or not.”
Sometimes, farewell speeches are cool. Chief Justice Dipak Misra, whose tenure was spoiled by a Four senior judges held a press conference and one fail impeachment motion by opposition The parties said: “History can sometimes be kind and merciless, I judge people not by their history but by their activities, attitude. and Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, who faced sexual harassment allegations During his tenure he took the rare step of writing letters to the media. Journalists’ appreciation of “maturity” and “character” Who stopped “nonsense and lies” when the judiciary was keeping an “ambush or two at bay”.
The farewell speech of Chief Justice NV Ramana who headed a successful collegium reducing judicial vacancies was marked by introspective humility, “When you finally judge me as a judge, I want to say that I can be judged as a very ordinary judge, but a man who thoroughly enjoyed the job,” he said.
And at times, the farewell speech can even touch on the slow delivery of justice in India. Justice R. Pandora told how She herself was a victim of judicial delayComplicated legal procedures prevented her family from receiving compensation for the death of her father, who had died in a bus accident.
In the recently held farewell to Chief Justice UU Lalit, Justice DY Chandrachud, who is now the Chief Justice, shared the interactions they had with each other. Justice Lalit was once told by a Chief Justice that it is best for a judge to “meet a lawyer (intellectually) rather than try to beat him up in court”. He was none other than Chief Justice but the father of Justice Chandrachud.
krishnadas.rajgopal@thehindu.co.in