Srinagar: School of Law Kashmir University on Monday organized a workshop on “Judgment Reading” wherein speakers said that for judges, lawyers, law students and professors alike, case laws are an integral part of the legal profession.
The workshop was organized by Law Society, School of Law, Kashmir University (KU) in collaboration with Internship and Placement Cell, KU.
Speaking on the occasion, teacher incharge Law Society Dr SA Bhat said that case laws are an integral part of the legal profession for all judges, lawyers, law interns, law students and professors alike.
Sharing the important aspects of effective judgment reading, he said the statutes and legal cases together paint a cohesive picture of the law where the statute gives the skeletal framework, and the judgments expand the meaning and scope.
“These two aspects dovetailed bring out the true essence of the law. Therefore, it becomes essential to study and understand judgments,” he said.
Referring to landmark Kesavananda Bharati judgment pronounced by the Supreme Court in 1973, Dr Bhat said that various judgments by apex court have made an impact on constitutional history of the country and changed the face of Indian polity.
“These landmark judgments paved a way for better functioning, and redefined the legal system in country. These are the decided cases which are still used as strong references by legal professionals to support their arguments before courts and other quasi-judicial bodies,” he said.
He added that the ability to read legal cases is one of the most essential skills for law students aiming for success in their discipline.
“Once the legal practitioner or student of law excels in judgment reading and gets the hold on its deep understating and interpretation, it is the stage where his knowledge and skills becomes most advantageous to his clients and to the society at large when pleading in Pubic Interest Cases before High Courts and the Supreme Court,” he said.
In his address, chairpersons Internship and Placement Cell Dr Muhammad Yasin Wani highlighted the role of Law Society, KU, in providing a platform to the students for honing their advocacy skills.
Dr Wani spoke about the importance of developing the habit of judgment reading in law schools, adding, “I&P Cell in facilitating and exploring placement opportunities for the law students.” The workshop comprises two technical sessions, the first one conducted by Hakim Yasir Abbas on the ‘Art of Judgment Reading – Value and Techniques’.
The second session involved a judgment reading activity supervised by Mir Mubashir Altaf, Assistant Professor, School of Law, KU. “The event was conducted under the overall supervision and guidance of Prof Beauty Banday, Head and Dean, School of Law, University of Kashmir,” the organizers said.