Judge wants court to look and smell good

By JULIA DAIA BORE

 

THERE is one thing I do not like, and that is body odour, said National and Supreme Court judge Justice Ambeng Kandakasi, in a courtroom filled to capacity with lawyers and their clients who were present for the alternate dispute resolution (ADR) mediation session yesterday morning, The National reports.

Kandakasi dropped this bombshell when announcing that the mediation session would continue later in the afternoon at the smaller ADR centre mediation facility which he said would prevent overcrowding and disruption to the air ventilation system

That is said was common knowledge in any overcrowded courtroom situation.

The judge, therefore, asked that only lawyers and a limited number of clients should come for that afternoon session and not like the big turnout earlier in the day.

In saying that he appointed to begin at 3pm.

Kandakasi also pointed out to the lawyers present that lawyers must dress up according to their profession’s ethical dress standards. 

“We need to raise the standards of lawyers dress,” he said, adding that he had raised these issues in the past and he would do so again.

“I will not hear any lawyer who is not appropriately dressed.

“Your appropriate dress is white shirts and black trousers, not brown trousers.

“Ensure that your shirt is tucked in neatly into your trousers.

“For those of you who chew betelnut, make sure there are no stains.

“I do not want to see stains on your white shirts or bibs – they must be clean.

“I do not want to see you sweating and puffing when you arrive to present yourselves in court; this is not a nightclub but a court,” the no-nonsense judge told the civil courtroom 10, which was filled to capacity with lawyers and their landowner clients who were present to hear the LNG-related mediation session yesterday.