The Kerala High Court recently reiterated that courts should adopt a practical approach while dealing with petitions filed by married women for the return of gold ornaments that they may have entrusted to their in-laws at the matrimonial home. A Division Bench of Justice Devan Ramachandran and Justice MB Snehalatha observed that newly married women often entrust their jewellery to their in-laws in good faith, without documentation or independent witnesses. In such a scenario, it is impractical to expect the married women to keep receipts or provide strict proof of their handing over jewellery to their in-laws, it opined. "A newly wedded woman would not be in a position to demand receipts or independent witnesses while handing over the jewellery to the husband or in-laws. Due to the domestic and informal nature of such transactions, she would not be in a position to produce documents or independent witnesses to prove entrustment," the Court explained. Thus, when cases are file...