If given a choice, I would prefer to practise in District Court than in Supreme Court.
Trial Court work is like work of a general physician. He gives immediate relief to patient for all type of sicknesses. There is a life long relationship between Physician and Patient. In fact, physician soon becomes a Family Physician.
Work in Supreme Court is like work in a cancer hospital. Difficult and sometimes impossible to cure patients keep coming. Before coming, the patient has been treated at several places. He has obtained opinions of several Lawyers. Supreme Court is his last resort. Mostly, a patient comes to Supreme Court only one time in his life time. Relationship with lawyer is one time.
In 1982, when I was practising in District Court, I remember a case. A woman came crying. Her husband had snatched away her one year old boy and had went away to his village with boy. I immediately applied for search warrant before Chief Magistrate. Within 24 hours, the boy was given back to her mother. I felt great satisfaction.
Whereas High Court and Supreme Court are mainly Courts which hear Appeals. The cases here are very old. A man had taken Rs.300/- bribe about 30 years ago. His appeal was argued by me last week in Supreme Court. His punishment was reduced to undergone. I felt relieved. The Client felt relieved. But this relief cannot be compared to satisfaction I experienced in trial court in case of that helpless woman.
Usually, the strong and rich persons do injustice to the weak and poor.
So mostly the weak and poor, first knock at doors of justice in trial court. To be a lawyer for them, at that time of their need, is a great thing.
Haresh Raichura 22/2/2017
