Category: Art of Advocacy
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The Question as a Weapon: How Suggestions Shape (or Misshape) Truth in a Criminal Trial
Cross-examination is not mere questioning—it is confrontation with purpose. The duty to “put one’s case” ensures fairness, prevents ambush, and tests truth itself. From…
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Game Over Before It Begins: The Unfortunate Case of Unilateral Appointment of Arbitrators.
Justice is rooted in confidence. A party cannot and must not choose its own judge. The same principle applies to arbitration. Yet, the practice of unilateral…
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Preventive arrest and security proceedings in CrPC (S.107/151 CrPC) and misuse abuse
Context Abuse of the criminal justice machinery is rampant in India. People are often wrongly implicated in criminal cases and deprived of their personal…
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Right of the Victim to be heard in a Revision petition filed by the Accused
Are we still arguing this? Wasn’t this decided already? Well, the answer is Yes AND No. Taking a step back for a moment and…
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Deferment of cross examination of prosecution witnesses (Defence Counsel diaries)
Weaponisation of the Criminal Justice System and Perjury is rampant in India. False criminal cases are routinely filed to settle scores. In these cases,…
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A few thoughts on drafting of written submissions:
1. Lay out what the case is about in the 1st para itself. For instance, in a contractual dispute, say, at the very outset,…
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A few thoughts on Court Craft:
1. Be fair & honourable. An advocate is a story-teller but she’s an ethical story-teller. You don’t take creative liberty with the facts. You…
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Some thoughts on the Art of Cross Examination
“Cross-examination is the greatest legal engine ever invented for the discovery of truth.” John Henry Wigmore 1. Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.…
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Some thoughts on 313 of the CrPC (The Art of Trial Advocacy)
1. Explain each incriminating evidence specifically and clearly. 2. Ensure that your narrative in S.313 is consistent with your defence in the case (as…
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ArtOfAdvocacy (100 Words): The Craft of addressing Final Arguments in Trials:
1. Your argument should, at the very outset, answer : WDWTW. Who did what to whom? Legal issues can come later. 2. Storytelling is…
