Delhi High Court Launches 'Humour in Court' Web Portal to Share Witty Courtroom Moments

Courtroom humour reels go live: Delhi HC launches 'Humour in Court' to share witty, memorable moments online

The Delhi High Court introduced three new IT initiatives, including the "Humour in Court" section, a dedicated platform for sharing humorous courtroom moments, the Delhi High Court e-Museum, which archives landmark case records, and WhatsApp services to streamline court communications. Justice Rajiv Shakdher emphasized the importance of lightening the courtroom atmosphere, while also highlighting the role of these new initiatives in improving accessibility, preserving legal heritage, and enhancing communication between the court and its stakeholders.In a unique move to bring light-heartedness into the legal profession, the Delhi High Court launched a new section titled "Humour in Court" on its official website. This section is designed to collect and share witty and memorable exchanges from courtrooms, offering an alternative glimpse into the typically serious environment of legal proceedings. The initiative was launched by Acting Chief Justice Manmohan, alongside two other innovative services -- the Delhi High Court WhatsApp Services and the Delhi High Court e-Museum. Justice Rajiv Shakdher, who chairs the IT, AI, and Accessibility Committee, emphasized the significance of maintaining a lighter atmosphere in courtrooms. He noted that humor often emerges in legal proceedings and can offer a welcome break from the intense formality that often surrounds court cases. "This project is very close to my heart. Often, the history of times is revealed and recorded through these anecdotes. The judges who sat and the great lawyers who argued the matter are often recorded by way of these anecdotes," said Justice Shakdher during the launch. Justice Shakdher further explained that the platform would allow users to share courtroom anecdotes, provided they adhere to standard operating procedures (SOPs). He stressed that the anecdotes should not name individuals and must remain within boundaries of decency. "We need not be very sensitive and need to learn to laugh at ourselves," he added, hinting at the need for both lawyers and judges to embrace the occasional levity of courtroom exchanges. He also mentioned that he had considered naming the initiative the "funny bone committee." The court has invited lawyers and litigants to contribute to the "Humour in Court" section by submitting their humorous experiences via email at delhihighcourt@nic.in. Each submission will be reviewed by a three-judge sub-committee to ensure it meets the required standards before being published online. This platform aims to create a lasting archive of amusing courtroom moments, showcasing the more human side of legal professionals. In addition to the "Humour in Court" section, the Delhi High Court launched its e-Museum, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at preserving the rich legal heritage of India. The e-Museum will serve as a digital archive of significant court records, providing access to cases that have played a pivotal role in shaping the Indian judiciary. Justice Shakdher noted that this initiative will ensure that historically important documents and case files are available for public viewing. Among the cases featured in the e-Museum are landmark trials such as the Mahatma Gandhi and Indira Gandhi assassinations, the Parliament attack, the Red Fort attack, and the decriminalization of homosexuality. Other notable cases include the Jessica Lal murder, Uphaar cinema fire, Nitish Katara murder, and the BMW hit-and-run case. These cases reflect the evolution of India's legal system and its influence on society over the years. The third major initiative unveiled was the Delhi High Court's WhatsApp services, designed to make communication between the court, litigants, and advocates more accessible and efficient. Through this service, users can receive updates on case filings, listings, and cause lists via WhatsApp messages. To use this service, users must save the official Delhi High Court WhatsApp number, +91 121 144 50, and initiate a conversation by sending a "Hi" message. The court's statement highlighted that this service is part of an ongoing effort to leverage technology to improve the efficiency of judicial processes. The WhatsApp service will provide instant access to case statuses and other information directly on smartphones, making it easier for advocates and litigants to stay updated without the need to visit the court in person. This initiative aligns with the High Court's goal of modernizing judicial communication and enhancing user convenience.

HC launches web portal on courtroom humour

"Humour in Court", a web portal to highlight witty and light-hearted moments in courtrooms over the years. The portal will feature a collection of anecdotes, exchanges, and situations from real courtroom proceedings where humour provided a moment of relief. "This project is very close to my heart. Often, history is revealed through these anecdotes," said Justice Rajiv Shakdher, the chairperson of IT, AI, and Accessibility Committees. He said lawyers and judges need to lighten up and "lower the temperature" in courts. In a move to preserve its rich legal history and make it accessible to the public, the Delhi High Court also launched its first-ever e-Museum, offering an online archive of historically significant case records. The e-Museum is part of the court's broader initiative to embrace digital platforms while honouring its rich judicial past. It will feature digitised versions of case files, judgments, and key documents, allowing visitors to explore landmark cases dating back to the court's establishment. The access to the e-Museum is available through the Delhi High Court's official website. "All important judgments, which have a life over ages and attracted public interest at a given point of time, will be uploaded starting from the FIR that was lodged at the time of Mahatama Gandhi's assassination, and the judgment that followed," Justice Shakdher said. In another step aimed at enhancing accessibility and convenience, the High Court is going to launch its WhatsApp services to provide information about cause lists, case filings, and case listings directly to advocates and litigants through WhatsApp messages. This move is part of the court's ongoing efforts to leverage technology to streamline communication and improve efficiency in judicial processes. The WhatsApp service will enable recipients to access case status and other information right on their smartphone with ease. Published - September 11, 2024 11:53 pm IST Read Comments

Witty Moments In Courtrooms To Now Go Online | - Times of India

New Delhi: The legal arena is known for tense arguments and terse exchanges, with the bench often complaining these generate more heat than light. In an initiative that will hopefully "lower the temperature", Delhi High Court on Wednesday launched a new section, Humour in Court, on its website, which will have a collection of light-hearted, witty and memorable moments from courtrooms over the years. Acting Chief Justice Manmohan also launched two other IT initiatives, Delhi High Court WhatsApp Services and Delhi High Court e-Museum. Justice Rajiv Shakdher, the chairman of IT (information technology), AI (artificial intelligence) and Accessibility Committee, said lawyers and judges needed to lighten up. Sometimes, to lower the temperature in court, judges may make a remark, but lawyers don't need to be sensitive about it, and vice-versa, he said. "This project is very close to my heart. Often, the history of times is revealed and recorded through these anecdotes... Now we have a place available where the anecdotes that we hear and exchange can be recorded," Justice Shakdher explained. However, he advised, such anecdotes should not name the person and should not cross the boundaries of decency. "We need not be very sensitive and need to learn to laugh at ourselves," he said, adding that he was contemplating naming it the 'funny bone committee'. 'Humour in Court' will be available in a dedicated section on HC's official website. Any lawyer or litigant can also send their humorous experiences in the courtrooms to delhihighcourt@nic.in, which will be published online after screening by a sub-committee of three judges. E-Museum is a digital archive of historically significant case records. Some of the most important cases that have passed through HC include the assassinations of Mahatma Gandhi and Indira Gandhi, Parliament attack, Red Fort attack, Jessica Lal murder, Uphaar cinema fire, Nitish Katara murder, and decriminalisation of homosexuality.