In a unique punishment, Karnataka HC directs advocate to plant 1,000 fruit-bearing saplings for misbehaving before sessions court judge

The High Court directed the advocate to plant 1,000 saplings on government land or on school/college premises and maintain them, The High Court of Karnataka has imposed a unique punishment on an advocate by directing him to plant 1,000 fruit-bearing saplings in lieu of facing criminal proceedings for misbehaving before a judge of the sessions court in Gangavati of Koppal district.Justice Hanchate Sanjeevkumar passed a revised order on September 1 while accepting an unconditional apology by advocate S. Rangaswamy for his behaviour before the sessions court.Earlier orderAlso, on accepting the apology, the High Court recalled its earlier order of April in which it had directed initiation of criminal proceedings for contempt of court, disciplinary proceedings through the State Bar Council, and registration of a criminal case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against the advocate.The High Court had initiated action against Mr. Rangaswamy on noticing the proceedings recorded in writing by the sessions judge on his alleged “behaviour of threatening and hampering the dignity of the sessions court.”Though the High Court recalled earlier orders for initiation of criminal proceedings against the advocate, it retained the critical observations made against the advocate in its April order.“Mr. Rangaswamy had brought eight to 10 advocates from Ballari, stood staring at the sessions judge for almost 15 minutes, hurled abuses and interrupted the court proceedings during recording of evidence of witness... in March, 2026,” the High Court had noticed from the records of the sessions court.The advocate’s behaviour was linked to the session court’s action of conducting trial on priority against the accused persons in a murder case, who were his clients.Plant and maintainThe court directed the advocate to plant 1,000 saplings on government land or on school/college premises and maintain them, and file affidavit of compliance of the directions by October 31. Besides, the court imposed a nominal cost of ₹1,000 on him to be payable to the Ballari district legal services authority.Meanwhile, the High Court pointed out that judges in the district judiciary, though vested with judicial powers, are in a “vulnerable position” and cannot defend themselves as they are “voiceless” outside the court, and hence they can only make observations in their orders.Also, the High Court said that advocates owe a duty to the clients but are “not agents of clients” and they are officers of courts with a duty to maintain its dignity.Stating that judges and lawyers should follow the principles enshrined in the Constitution in letter and spirit in their life, the High Court said that they both have a role together in ‘building a monument in the temple of justice” and their daily work contributes significantly to nation-building. Published - September 05, 2026 07:08 pm IST