Dare To Ask Talk And News About Our Differences - This topic has 13 replies, 13 voices, and was last updated 19 years, 3 months ago by
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- I recently saw a British show where the judges and lawyers all wore white wigs and colonial-type clothes in court. Everyone else in the courtroom wore modern clothes. Is this normal, or just for the show I was watching?
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Name : Kare, City : Herndon, State : VA Country : United States,It is normal for criminal trials, and some other trials, in the Crown or County Courts. Barristers (advocates) wear wigs and black robes and white 'tabs' (clip on tie/cravat). Solicitors (different branch of the profession) who have qualified to appear in these courts wear robes but not wigs. I'm not sure what you mean by 'colonial dress' but there are no other 'fancy'clothes. The Judge will have a red or purple robe, depending on seniority etc. Wigs and Gowns are not worn for private hearings (which includes any relating to divorce or children) nor in the Magistrates Court, which is the lower court which deals with less serious criminal matters. In major criminal trials which have involved children as defendents the judge will direct that robes and gowns are not worn, to make it less intimidating. There is current discussion within the legal profession about whether the court dress rules should be relaxed or changed.User Detail :
Name : Margo, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 30, City : Trowbridge, State : NA Country : United Kingdom, Occupation : lawyer, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class,The wigs and gowns worn by British judges and barristers (lawyers) are simply a matter of tradition. That's what they wear, just as American judges wear robes and American lawyers wear conservative suits. It's my opinion, however, that British court dress adds to the dignity of the courtroom. Besides, I'm jealous that I never got to play dress-up like they do.User Detail :
Name : Jerry, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Jewish, Age : 69, City : Tampa, State : FL Country : United States, Occupation : attorney, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class,I believe it's normal. I attended a public trial in Britain on vacation in '96. (Nothing big, just a run of the mill trial where the public could attend). The judge and the lawyers (or solicitors is what they called them, I think) wore oldish-looking suits, and small white-curled wigs. One lawyer was female and I thought the wig looked a little silly. I think it's mostly tradition. Judges in America wear robes, so it's not that weird.User Detail :
Name : Steve27613, City : Columbus, State : OH Country : United States,This is normal in high court cases. It's a traditional status thing. Ages ago, people of high status such as lords, dukes or anyone related to the royal family would wear these wigs as a mark of their high social standing. Being in the upper class, they could reap the benefits a good education and highly respected jobs such as high court judges and lawyers. But of course they have to stand out from the common peasants, so they would all wear the stupid wigs in court, too. It's a tradition which is still in place today and common in a lot of other government and royal ceromonies. (Though you don't have to be a lord to become a judge nowadays.) All a bit pompous if you ask me, though.User Detail :
Name : Simon, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, Age : 20, City : Portsmouth U.K., State : NA Country : United Kingdom, Occupation : musician, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Lower class,Yep, it's normal - the wigs, etc date back to the 18th century when our present legal system was founded. I'm not 100 percent sure why they still wear them, though. I think partly it's a kind of badge of office. At least the legal system has moved on (slightly) even if the costumes haven't.User Detail :
Name : Jill-W30670, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 30, City : London, State : NA Country : United Kingdom, Occupation : exec assistant, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,This is normal in most Commonwealth (former British colonies) countries. Here in New Zealand the judges wear a similar setup.User Detail :
Name : Pete30372, Gender : M, City : Wellington, State : NA Country : New Zealand,If it was a criminal case, the robes are correct. In cases heard in public, the barristers will wear black gowns and gray/white wigs (traditionally horsehair but more commonly nylon). They are worn with white clip-on 'tabs.' No other fancy dress is required. The judge may have purple or red robes depending on his seniority. Robes are not worn in cases heard in private (all cases involving children and divorce) nor in the magistrates court (the lowest courts, which deal with less-serious criminal cases). There is currently an ongoing debate about whether the robes, etc should be scrapped or changed - however, it can make it easier to spot your 'brief' from a distance. My friends at the bar also say that prolonged wig-wearing tends to speed up hair-loss!User Detail :
Name : Margo, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 30, City : Trowbridge, State : NA Country : United Kingdom, Occupation : lawyer, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class,Perhaps not normal - but quite usual. In some courts (Magistrates', Coroner's, Civil and Family Courts) wigs and robes are not worn. But in the higher criminal and county courts they remain - a hangover from the Seventeenth - Eighteenth centuries, when wigs were the fashion. The black robes of barristers were adopted at the beginning of the Eighteenth century when the nation was in mourning for Queen Anne. - I guess they liked the look so much they stuck with it. By 'colonial' dress, I guess you mean the way we dressed when North America was a British colony - which would be about the time that our court dress froze in time. It is still the norm in much of the rest of the Brtitish Commonwealth - though Canada stopped the wearing of wigs. There has been recent consultation by government on getting rid of these archaisms, but, if you'll forgive the pun, the jury is still out. There are many judges and barristers who value the gravity and solemnity that the dress lends to proceedings, and not a few who also appreciate that changing into modern dress at the end of a trial renders them harder to recognize when leaving the building.User Detail :
Name : Mark22091, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, Age : 40+, City : Oxford, State : NA Country : United Kingdom, Social class : Lower middle class,Although judges may generally wear the wigs, lawyers are simply expected to wear suits. although this varies according to the court. I would think this was just that particular show.User Detail :
Name : Jen, Gender : F, Age : 17, City : Leicester, State : NA Country : United Kingdom, Occupation : A.S Level Student, Social class : Middle class,This is normal. They still go by tradition in Britain. I don't know the origin of the wigs, etc, but I correspond with someone who lives in England, and I think I'll ask her. I'll let you know if I find out.User Detail :
Name : Georgia, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Lesbian, Race : Human, Religion : Pagan, Age : 50, City : Springtown, State : TX Country : United States, Occupation : nurse, Education level : Technical School, Social class : Lower middle class,I have to correct you here - if the judge is wearing a wig and gown, we lawyers will as well. (except a solicitor - advocate will not have a wig) In fact, if I were to appear in front of a judge without a gown, in a case where we were required to be robed, the judge would be 'unable' to hear me, as I would not be properly dressed. I have seen this happen to an opponent of mine who failed to wear a robe. If a solicitor instructs a barrister for a court hearing then only the barrister (who is actually addressing the court) needs to wear a wig & gown. The solicitor does not becase they are not formally addressing the court. The only time I have seen a Juge to be robed and the lawyers not was where the judge was hearing both criminal cases (which require him to be robed) and family cases (which don't) on the same day and did not want to bother taking his robes on and off between cases. In the Magistrates court robes are not worn, nor are they in family cases.User Detail :
Name : Margo, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 27, City : Manchester, State : NA Country : United Kingdom, Occupation : lawyer, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,it is also true for the courts in canada as well, the only difference is that they don't wear the wigs, but they do wear the clothing.User Detail :
Name : jen30974, Gender : F, Age : 21, City : mississauga, State : NA Country : Canada,These days lawyers and judges in New Zealand only wear wigs on ceremonial occasions (opening of Parliament and admitting new lawyers to the bar). Judges still wear a black robe but wigs are no longer worn. All the judges I have seen on US TV still wear robes too. Is that correct?User Detail :
Name : Dave25236, Gender : M, Race : Pakeha, Age : 34, City : Wellington, State : NA Country : New Zealand, Education level : Over 4 Years of College,
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