A New South Wales barrister has been reprimanded after apparently deciding that some of the more tiresome conventions of courtroom practice, such as standing, bowing to the judge and arriving on time, were more guidelines than rules.
Mahmoud Mandoh was reprimanded following his conduct during a 2023 criminal trial, with the disciplinary register recording what it described as “persistent discourtesy” towards the court. This included repeatedly failing to stand and bow when the judge entered or left the courtroom and regularly arriving late.
Unfortunately, the etiquette issues were not the end of it.
Mandoh was also found to have repeatedly asked leading questions while examining witnesses, made impermissible submissions and delivered a closing address containing inaccurate or misleading statements. The disciplinary decision was handed down on 23 June 2026.
Mandoh has been practising for more than 20 years, having been admitted in April 2004, which rather removes the possibility of putting the whole business down to first-week nerves.
Courtroom traditions may sometimes look faintly Dickensian, but judges remain surprisingly attached to lawyers turning up on time and acknowledging their presence.
