Verdicts must be sound: Chief justice

LHC chief justice urges trainee civil judges to treat lawyers appearing before them with respect.

LAHORE:

Judges must deliver comprehensive verdicts that are not overturned by higher courts, said Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial of the Lahore High Court in a speech at the Punjab Judicial Academy on Saturday.

Speaking at a ceremony to mark the end of a training course for female civil judges, Justice Bandial said that the delivery of comprehensive and sound verdicts increased the dignity and credibility of the courts.

He said that it was critical that the courts of original jurisdiction, which people with grievances approached first, hand out sound judgements. He said that if the High Courts spent less time on appeals, they could redirect part of their budgets to the district and other subordinate courts.

The chief justice urged the trainee civil judges to treat lawyers appearing before them with respect and to “speak through your judgments”. He asked them to inform him immediately of any misconduct in their courtrooms, so he could refer the cases to the bar councils, whose cooperation with the judiciary was essential.

Justice Bandial also advised the civil judges to hone their legal skills by doing research work and studying landmark judgments of the Supreme Court.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 9^th, 2012.