3 Review(s)

Tales From The Bench And The Bar is a collection of hilarious stories about incidents that have taken place within the four walls of Indian courtrooms. The author has compiled a book about Indian and English men in the legal system who have shown a tremendous sense of humour when dealing with proceedings. This book is a page turned, with its coverage of wit, satire, professionalism, and more. Summary Of The Book Tales From The Bench And The Bar, published in 2010, is a refreshing book that throws light onto the use of humour in the courtroom. The general perception about courtrooms is that the ambience is dull and serious. Lawyers are viewed as solemn, with no comical side to them. Tales From The Bench And The Bar breaks this stereotypic image. It brings together hilarious stories and incidents that spice up the legal system. The author, a senior advocate, has practiced for more than sixty decades in the Bombay Court. His meticulous research has helped in creating a book that is a pleasure to read. It presents to the world a very different face of lawyers and judges. It features their eccentricities, sense of satire, professional skills, and unique personalities. Tales From The Bench And The Bar is a comprehensive array of ancient and contemporary events. It speaks of how a former Attorney General of India, G Ramaswamy, was considered the resident wit of the Supreme Court. Many accounts have been mentioned in the book. Stories from the courts of Bombay, Kolkata, Chennai, and United Kingdom have been covered in Tales from the Bench and the Bar. This book shows how councils can use humour to hit the bull’s eye during a case. Accounts of legendary Indian lawyers like C. K. Daphtari, Jamshed Kanga, Chimanlal Setalvad, and Nusserwani are narrated. Humourous tales of British lawyers like Lord Macmillan, Justice Cockburn, Scarlett, and Purcell are also mentioned. Taraporewala’s inclusion of Parsee and English men makes this book even more assuming because of their funny names. An important point to understand is that though these men added a tinge of humour to lighten the mood of the stern courtrooms, under all circumstances the principle of justice was always upheld. Those interested in learning about the personalities of some of  India’s finest legal minds, must definitely read Tales From The Bench And The Bar. It presents a world that most common people are unaware of. It shows that serious matters like justice, law, and fair play, can be preserved with a sprinkle of humour to freshen up the day. About  V. J. Taraporevala Vicaji Taraporevala, born in 1923, is a senior advocate and writer. His law career has spanned for over sixty years. The author has practised, written, and taught law. Apart from this book, he’s also written, Law of Intellectual Property (Volume - 1). Books by Taraporevala are based on medical law, law of Central Excise, law of customs duty, and the law of intellectual property. He is known for writing books that are lucid in explanations, and comprehensively describe all principles and their applications. The author is based in Mumbai. He does not actively practice any longer. However, he continues to write, and stays up-to-date on the latest legal developments.