Wednesday, August 10, 2016

Department of judicial writing (purple prose section)

It is a slow day here in the glass-enclosed newsroom high above Global Military Justice Reform Plaza (actually, overlooking Grove Street Cemetery, if you must know). We therefore bring to readers' attention the following gem from Batra v. Delhi Admin., [1980] 3 SCC 488, 509 (India 1979):
"Law is not an omnipotence in the sky but a loaded gun which, when triggered by trained men with ballistic skill, strikes the offending bull's eye."
The case is actually quite important even though it has nothing to do with military justice. The quote -- one of many in purple prose -- is worth the price of admission. (The Editor hears echoes of Holmes and Jackson, JJ. in the quote, but the bullseye reference has him stumped.)

3 comments:

  1. Try either, United States v. Baker, 626 F.2d 512,or Phillips v. Hust, 507 F.3d 1171.

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  2. Without confessing to a slow day in the (U.S.) city of Alexandria, I found the phrase 'Something is rotten in the State of Denmark !' referenced in a number of U.S. court decisions.

    Agreed, worth the read.

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  3. :) From Hamlet I am reminded of something else. And hence, may I request readers to peruse this (short) decision of the Supreme Court of India https://indiankanoon.org/doc/826649/

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