Hate to be in court, boy caught in divorce, custody battle tells HC

A NINE-YEAR-OLD child, caught in the middle of a divorce and custody battle between his parents, has submitted before the Kerala High Court that he abhors going to court and even hates the judges for having summoned him.

- P RAMDAS @Kochi

The child added that he feels dehumanised and stigmatised, being paraded in front of people as a virtual chattel in the dispute between his parents.

And on cue, considering the trauma experienced by the child, the HC has held that, except in unavoidable circumstances, the presence of children in court halls or premises, for counselling or other statutory proceedings, should be ordered sparingly and with great caution.

A Division Bench comprising Justice Devan Ramachandran and Justice M B Snehalatha issued the directives on an appeal filed by a 30-year-old woman from Kannur, challenging the order of the Family Court, Thalassery, that granted custody of the child to the father and interim custody to the mother.