'Humour In Court': In A First, Delhi High Court To Have Dedicated Section On Its Website To Share Humorous Stories From Courtrooms

The Delhi High Court will soon have a first of its kind dedicated section 'Humour in Court' on its website, an endeavour of the court's 'Information Technology & Artificial Intelligence Committee' to capture humorous court exchanges amongst judges, lawyers and litigants.

The initiative was launched on Wednesday (September 11) by Acting Chief Justice Manmohan along with two other IT initiatives–Delhi High Court WhatsApp Services, Delhi High Court e-Museum at high court's lawyer's cafeteria to take forward the vision and roadmap put in place by the committee.

The Committee is chaired by Justice Rajiv Shakdher and comprises of members–Justice Sanjeev Narula, Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav, Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma and Justice Girish Kathpalia. The initiatives were launched in the presence of the judges of the high court as well as the Members of Delhi High Court Bar Association.

Humour in Court

This a web-portal will be having collection of lighthearted, witty and memorable moments from courtrooms over the years. Humour in Court will feature a carefully curated collection of anecdotes, exchanges, and situations from real courtroom proceedings where humour provided a moment of relief amidst serious legal debates, a press release issued by the high court said. This initiative showcases the balance between the solemnity of legal proceedings and the spontaneous moments of wit, bringing a new perspective to the courtroom environment.

The Humour in Court initiative will be available through a dedicated section on the high court's official website. Users can explore classic exchanges between legal personalities and enjoy a lighter perspective on the judiciary. Any Advocate or litigant can also email their humorous & memorable experience in the court rooms which would be published online after screening by the authority, the release said.

Recently, during the Coffee Chat organized by the Delhi High Court Women Lawyers Forum, Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani stressed upon having a sense of humour when asked about what practices legal professionals can incorporate to deal with mental health problems. He remarked that apart from not taking oneself too seriously "...Other thing is to have a sense of humour. We are surrounded by negativity. That is the environment or circumstances in which people meet us. They are distressed. So it is important to have a sense of humour in everything that happens. When the judge lambasts you or you get a bizarre ruling, you can scream and cry but you can also take it differently. Just keep the thing light. I am reminded of a phrase “This too shall pass.” That helps people go along.”

Delhi High Court WhatsApp Services

As per the release, the Delhi High Court WhatsApp Services will provide information about cause lists, case filings, and case listings directly to the Advocates and litigants via WhatsApp messages. This innovative move is a part of the Court's "ongoing efforts" to leverage technology to "streamline communication and improve efficiency in judicial processes". This service will enable recipients to access case status and other information right on their smartphone with ease, the release said.

The key features, as per the press release, of the WhatsApp services includes–Automated broadcast of case filing and listing status and other updates through WhatsApp messages to the registered mobile numbers; Easy access to case-related information without the need for visiting the court's website or physically visiting courtrooms, just by tapping the relevant option in WhatsApp message.

The WhatsApp service has been designed in a simplified and interactive way enabling users to request and receive case status by tapping the different search options e.g. 'Status By Case No.'; 'Status By Diary No.'; and 'Status by Party Name' and providing relevant case details.

As per the release, advocates or litigants can generate personalized Cause List of their cases based on their registered mobile numbers. It states that the official WhatsApp number of Delhi High Court is 9112114450. In order to use this service, the user is required to save this number and then open WhatsApp chat box & send 'Hi' message to initiate conversation.

Delhi High Court WhatsApp Chatbot can be accessed by scanning this QR code:

This Chatbot/number can be used to avail of Delhi High Court WhatsApp services only and it will not be accepting any other messages or calls.

Delhi High Court e-Museum

The court's e-Museum, is a digital archive of its historically significant case records, the release said. This online platform will provide unprecedented access to landmark judgments, legal documents, and court proceedings that have shaped the judiciary and society over the decades, it added.

The e-Museum is part of the Delhi High Court's commitment to embracing technology while honouring its storied past. The platform will feature digitized versions of case files, judgments, and other key documents that have left an indelible mark on India's legal landscape. Visitors to the museum will be able to explore and learn about some of the most important cases that have passed through the Delhi High Court, dating back to its inception, the release said.

The link of e-Museum is available on the homepage of the high court's official website.