Advocate Satyam opens the file amidst the route to Patiala House Court tightly packed in metro and starts to read the facts of the case. He quickly goes through pages after pages and glanced the wrist watch which shows 9:55am. He then looks at his phone and hoped he would make it in time when his stomach made a crusty noise. Oh Darn! Our young bright counsel is starving as there was no time to have early morning breakfast. He helplessly closed the file and put it inside the briefcase as metro announced the station had come and this gentleman wrapped in black and white suit strongly made his way among countless people, sad and depressed on a Monday morning.

Satyam might be a gentleman but harshly pushes away everyone to quickly get out from giant herds of sheep and making it to the court in just the right time! Metro is not for softies you know especially during office hours. The diligent lawyer takes an auto to reach the final destination and he knows the clock is ticking. He opens the briefcase and takes out the band to adhere the jury and sips some of water from his bottle. If not food, at least water would prevent from dehydrating and falling out.

Once Satyam finally makes his way to the courtroom. The display screen brings huge sense of relief as item 1 is still on going. He looks at the phone again to double check ours is 12. He walks at front and takes a seat very close to the podium and removes the file again from the briefcase to revise. They say you can revise as many times until it brings confidence within you. Reading the brief once or twice is great but it’s the 3rd, 4th and 5th time you start to discover new elements in intricate layers of law. The file would always offer you more and continue to trick with dozens of questions the judge may ask! The finest lawyer can never leave any stone unturned and Satyam finished the file one more time! Half an hour elapsed and it’s still item-1 which prolongs!

Young lawyer helplessly looks at the arguing counsels and expects his item to come as soon as possible. But the advocates at the podium are in no mood to leave the court whatsoever. Satyam’s stomach makes another crusty sound louder than previous one, loud enough the lawyers nearby felt sympathy for Satyam but everyone knew all they can do is wait, wait and wait more! The patterns at court are absolutely unpredictable, it may take 5 minutes or 5 hours for your item to be heard and during some days your item doesn’t come at all! Imagine after spending an entire day inside courtroom, frustratingly speaking with others and yet receiving no attention nor sympathy from the judge! Courts are difficult places at times.

Another hour elapsed and it was 11:30 am yet the display board remained unchanged. Satyam couldn’t bare hunger anymore and thought of quickly going to canteen and eat two biscuits otherwise he might faint in an ongoing court! He asked the fellow advocate to give a quick call if the items start moving before he went to grab a bite. The advocate assured he would call and you can take a quick break without worrying. Satyam calmly got up and walked outside the courtroom without making any serious noise. He rushed towards the canteen and purchased a small pack of mango juice and one packet of crackers. He knew the time was less so he thought of eating it outside the court in safety and confirmation of display board to avoid any possibility of missing the matter! But to Satyam’s surprise when he reached outside the courtroom and noticed the display board with bizarre number 13, going on! The juice and cracker fell from his hands and the counsel ran as fast as he could towards the jury. When he reached at the podium, he realised item 13 was going on and the counsels were busy arguing. The helpless lawyer interrupted the judge and the court to bring a minor mistake that just happened but he wasn’t aware of the horror which judge pointed out.

The Honourable judge ruthlessly said that a, “Non-Bailable Warrant has been issued against your client counsel”. How could you be late and negligent towards your responsibilities? Satyam got shocked from his core! A Non-Bailable Warrant!? Oh my god. These words meant pure destruction. The counsel started begging like a parrot. This apology, that explanation and tonnes of bad outcomes which would destroy the client completely! Kindly do not blame my client for my mistake lordship. The wise old judge brought up his glasses which were falling off from the edge of his nose and softly spoke, “This time the court would make an exception and forgive the mistake”. But this shall never happen again! He spoke with boldness and our poor Satyam thanked the judge for the kindness granted. He promised this would never be repeated and argued the matter and successfully got a favourable order. He thanked the jury once again and left with a “Respectful Namaskar” and the phrase “Grateful”.

The counsel walked out of the courtroom while keeping the file back in his briefcase and an important tip in his brain- Never to leave courtroom until your matter is chronologically picked up and entertained properly.