On January 23, 2026, the Supreme Court asked Jharkhand lawyer Mahesh Tiwari to submit an unconditional apology before the High Court. This was in a suo-motu contempt case after he said to a judge, “Don’t cross the limit,” during a hearing. A Bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant allowed Tiwari to file his apology before a five-judge High Court Bench. The Supreme Court requested the High Court to treat this apology "sympathetically." Senior advocate Siddharth Dave, representing Tiwari, said the lawyer was "extremely repentant" and ready to apologize unconditionally. However, the Bench expressed strong concerns about the lawyer’s conduct. Chief Justice Surya Kant noted Tiwari’s “obstinate character” and challenged him to explain himself to the judges directly: “Let him show, and then we will see. We know how to deal with this.” Justice Joymalya Bagchi also commented on falling courtroom discipline, saying, “In every strata of judiciary, there are issues that creation of friction becomes a matter of professional pride.” Dave pointed out the impact of live-streamed courts: “These video proceedings of Court hearings have become a menace. A notice for the lawyer is enough to destroy the career.” The issue began on October 16, 2025, during a Jharkhand High Court hearing over an electricity connection restoration. The lawyer offered a ₹25,000 deposit, but the court cited rules requiring 50% of arrears. The matter settled at ₹50,000, but after the hearing, Justice Rajesh Kumar criticized the lawyer's style and asked the State Bar Council chairman to investigate. The lawyer then told the judge he would “argue in his own way” and said, “Don’t cross the limit.” Videos of this exchange went viral, prompting a five-judge High Court Bench to take suo-motu action and issue a contempt notice to the lawyer. The Supreme Court’s decision now allows Tiwari to apologize, hoping to close the chapter on this courtroom drama.