Here are 3 of the most memorable outfit choices we’ve seen in court, in reverse order. These are actually true stories…
3. Pajamas.
We saw a man in city court wearing pajamas, slippers, the whole outfit – minus the pillow unfortunately. Although he looked comfortable, this is probably not a sign of respect for the judge who was deciding his case.
2. Santa Claus.
Granted, this was during the holiday season, but it was nevertheless an odd outfit choice for court. He even had the faux beard and everything. It appeared this Santa was having a rough time. Besides the fact that he was a defendant at court, it appeared he was daily-wearing his Santa outfit. It had not been washed in some time.
1. F@$& the Police T-Shirt
This was by far the most surprising outfit choice we’ve seen in court. The judge did not appear impressed by this shirt.
Why not wear a F@$& the Police T-Shirt?
When deciding what to wear to court, think about what you want to achieve, and who is responsible for getting you there. Odds are good that a defendant is hoping a prosecuting attorney will work with them and reduce the charge, or that a judge will find them not guilty. Dressing in a way that communicates respect to others around you is the right call.
Sure, there are plenty of players in the court process that you may not respect, but in order to maximize the chances of getting the best outcome possible, it still pays to at the very least pretend.
The person that shows up to court in a dirty Santa outfit or pajamas communicates that he just doesn’t care about what is going on. If the defendant doesn’t care, why would a prosecutor or judge care more?
The person who shows up in a F@$& the police Tee will probably be perceived as being hostile and disrespectful. This in turn will reduce the likelihood that the prosecutor will cut them a break, or that the judge will give them the benefit of the doubt.
What should one wear to court?
Regardless of your gender, you can never go wrong with a suit. Not everyone owns a suit these days though, and in our opinion, no one will think less of you for not wearing a suit. Other reasonable choices include:
Anything you would consider wearing to church.
Depending on where you work, the clothes you wear to work could be a good option.
Any clothing that is not overly revealing, is clean, tidy and well-fitting is good.
Anything that communicates you have respect for the court. Again, think about what you might were to church.
Do you need help in court?
If you need some guidance or assistance in the courtroom, we do it all the time. And we always wear suits 🙂