Law Firms Must Verify Case Law Status Before Citing, Senior Advocates Exempted: Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court, per Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav, held that briefing counsels and law firms are responsible for verifying the authenticity, finality, and pendency of case laws before citing them in court.

The Court noted that citing judgments under appeal, review, or pending proceedings without disclosure reflects a lack of candour and risks misleading the bench. It clarified that senior advocates engaged solely for arguments cannot be expected to perform such verification.

Accordingly, the duty to ensure the accuracy and finality of cited authorities rests on the briefing counsel or the instructing law firm.

[Renew Wind Energy Pvt. Ltd. v. Solar Energy Corporation of India]