Judging the Subordinate Judiciary

The subordinate judiciary of a nation plays an important role in the administration and dispensation of justice. A judicial officer in the subordinate courts performs a “pious duty” in the service of justice. A majority of the members of the society come in contact with the trial court judges rather than with the appellate or higher court judges. No law, court, precedent, or custom can provide guidelines for better administration of justice, because there is no fixed formula to find the solution of the problem. In such situations, personal qualities, experience, training, and worth of a trial judge make themselves manifest. Through the image of subordinate judiciary and its functioning, the true picture of judiciary presents itself to the nation. The mind of the judiciary can be known to the millions only through the actions and working of the subordinate or trial court judges. In this chapter, researcher has pointed out some problems faced by subordinate courts and judges due to the backlog, and the daily increase, in legal cases.