High Court judges naturally have a vast amount of power: to declare government decisions unlawful, award billions in damages and, when fully robed up as a feared ‘red judge’, to send people to prison.

Less conspicuous is the power wielded by the bench in the courtroom, for example through the ability to order the removal of disruptive members of the public – and to put mere lawyers in their place. Most Gazette readers will have an anecdote of their lord or ladyship reducing counsel to a gibbering wreck with a pointed question or simply a withering look.

Obiter was this week witness to what can only be described as a comprehensive ‘own’ of a learned friend who attempted to demonstrate that they were down wiv da kids.

Susan Prevezer KC, representing four hedge funds in a nine-figure claim against Argentina, asked a bemused Argentine statistician about his Twitter ‘handle’, which she suggested to the court, made her sound rather ‘cool’.

‘I think the very use of the word “cool” shows that you were not,’ interjected Mr Justice Picken, aged 56.

Ouch.

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