Justice Patel pointed out that of all professions, law is the only one that makes the incredibly difficult demand of hearing the other side.
“It’s the only profession that does it. Hear the other side and then judge. That’s a very difficult business. This is where your skills as a lawyer come into play, and this is also the area where ethics come into play,” he said.
Justice Patel was delivering a lecture as part of the Master Lecture Series on Introduction to Law at DM Harish School of Law in Mumbai on July 13.
He then posed question to a group of students, asking whether they would take up an extremely unpopular case like that of Ajmal Kasab.
When a student replied that he would not take up the case due to personal morals, Justice Patel expressed his disappointment.
He emphasized the need for lawyers to sideline morality given that every person is entitled to defense in a court of law.
“Okay, this is the problem. Park your morality outside when you are practicing law. If you are a lawyer, you are not a judge. You don’t get to bring your morality into the picture. Every person—because this is the foundation of the justice system and the rule of law—is entitled to a defense. And yes, he is entitled to your defense if you’re the best there is and he or she comes to you. You do not prejudge that cause. That is not a lawyer’s job. The judge decides guilt or innocence,” he said.
Source: Barandbench
