Lawyer appears for virtual hearing in "a stationed car in a casual manner", amounts to disrespecting Court: Madras High Court

A lawyer who appeared for a virtual hearing from a stationed car and "in a casual manner" on Wednesday drew the ire of the Madras High Court..Justice SM Subramaniam noted in his order that the lawyer, appearing for the petitioner in a matter, had appeared while "sitting in a stationed car in a casual manner"..The Judge further took note that another person was also seen sitting behind in the same car..Terming the same as disrespectful of the court and impermissible under the Video-Conferencing Rules notified by the High Court, Justice Subramaniam asked the lawyer to file an affidavit in the matter.."The learned counsel for the petitioner, by sitting in a stationed car in a casual manner, representing the case, which is impermissible in view of the Video-Conferencing Rules notified by the High Court. Backside of the Car, another person was also sitting and this Court is of an opinion that such way of representing the case amounts to disrespecting the Court proceedings as per the High Court VideoConferencing Rules", reads the order. .The lawyer was directed to appear in person before the Court on Thursday afternoon..Courtroom across the country have seen a fair share of lawyers making questionable appearances in the era of virtual courts. .Lawyers eating on camera, arguing from gardens and moving cars: The Orissa HC's "horrible" virtual hearing experiences .In October last year, the Karnataka High Court pulled up an advocate who participated in a video conference hearing while sitting inside a car.."Video conferencing hearing also has some norms. You cannot sit in the car and address the court", the Bench had orally observed at the time. .In another instance, the Gujarat High Court fined a lawyer Rs 10,000 after he was found smoking while sitting in the car during a virtual court proceeding..Earlier, in June last year, the Supreme Court had accepted the unconditional apology of an advocate who appeared for a hearing via video conference while lying on his bed, wearing a t-shirt..The Rajasthan High Court, in April, asked the High Court Bar Association had urged all advocates to appear in their uniform during VC hearing after an advocate appeared for hearing in his baniyan..In September, the Orissa High Court issued a series of directions ensure Courtroom decorum and ettiquette after taking stock of a number of instances where advocates had appeared in an unprofessional manner..Read the Madras High Court order: