SC Takes Exception To Lawyer Appearing In Virtual Hearing Lying On Bed At Home

New Delhi: The Supreme Court (SC) took exception to an advocate appearing in a virtual hearing from home while lying on bed, wearing a T-shirt.

Expressing its displeasure, the SC observed that “minimum court etiquette” should be adhered to. The top court felt that advocates appearing in hearings via video conferencing should be “presentable” and refrain from showing inappropriate images.

The lawyer concerned apologized and admitted that it was “inappropriate on his part to make a court appearance whilst lying on bed dressed in a T-shirt”. Justice S Ravindra Bhat accepted it.

“This court is of the view that when counsel appear in court video hearings, they should be presentable and avoid showing images, which are not appropriate and can only be tolerable in the privacy of their homes,” the court noted in its order on June 15.

“We are all passing through trying times and hearings by virtual courts have become order of the day. Yet minimum court etiquette in terms of what can be considered decent dress, background, etc should be followed, given the public nature of the hearings,” the apex court said.

The incident took place when the Supreme Court was hearing a petition seeking transfer of a pending case in a family court in Rewari, Haryana, to a competent court in Bihar’s Jehanabad.