The law is meant to be solemn, structured, and precise. But step closer, and the line between what is lawful and what is awful is not always so clear. 

In The Lawful and the Awful, Tushar Mehta takes readers into the lesser-known corners of the legal world, where personality presses against principle and the courtroom reveals its more curious, unpredictable side. Drawing on real cases from across jurisdictions, this collection brings together episodes that are surprising, insightful, and often quietly astonishing. 

From judges who defied convention in dramatic ways to flashes of wit, irony, and courtroom humour, these stories show how the practice of law is shaped as much by human behaviour as by legal doctrine. There are moments of sharp observation, instances of unintended absurdity, and occasions where authority gives way to individuality.