NEW DELHI: For 12-year-old Simran and 10-year-old Hartaj (names changed), going to the Supreme Court was an exciting outing. It was the one day the siblings, each staying with one parent for the last five years because of differences between their mother and father, would meet and their family would seem to be together.
When their parents’ case came up for hearing before Justice Kurian Joseph, what happened was something none present in the courtroom had anticipated.
The judge sent husband and wife to an empty courtroom, directing them to discuss their matrimonial differences and return after an hour. The moment Justice Joseph asked the couple their decision, both spoke in unison – “We want to live together”.
One would not expect the top court to be a place for such happenings. But Justice Joseph tries to take the mediation approach, especially when it comes to bringing families together. With a smiling face and gentle but firm words, the judge has been heading a bench that has family feud cases lined up before it.
A few months ago, he resolved a feud between a mother and her three daughters fighting for control over business — by asking them to sit together and talk. “When was the last time mother and daughters sat together and talked? We suggest you do it now. We will provide you a room here in the court complex. Let the mother and daughters spend some time there,” he said. “Don’t waste your will, money and energy in courts, at the end of all this, nobody wins.”
The next day, the mother told the judge her dream of bringing the family together again may become a reality. In another case, Justice Joseph reminded five siblings fighting over father’s property that they had been fighting for 43 years and had lost many moments that were worth more than anything money could buy. The dispute was amicably resolved soon after. Last week was no different with Justice Joseph resolving 33 cases a Chandigarh couple were fighting against each other via a single order.