I generally try to keep things as simple as possible.  When clients ask me what to wear to court, I generally tell them to wear something that they'd be comfortable wearing to church or a wedding.  If you're a person that regurlarly wears a suit, then wear a suit.  But if you're a person that has only worn a suit once in your life, then wear something else.  The jury and judge will know that you're trying to be someone you're not.  Just keep it simple.

I thought that was pretty common sense advice and that dress shouldn't be that difficult until I read yesterday's local paper.  Apparently, some parties (particularly criminal defendants) are dressing so poorly that some of our Travis County judges feel the need to enact a dress code.  And with the judges' stories, I would too.

One judge reported on a male defendant whose pants hung so low that they eventually fell to the floor as he walked away.  Another judge told the story of a female defendant who was wearing a skirt that revealed her underwear --- from the bottom.

And then there are the stupid:  a defendant showing up for court with a spoon designed for snorting cocaine hanging around his neck or the defendant that wears a t-shirt with a marijuana leaf on the front.

Really.  My five year old would know that these are bad ideas.  What has happened to common sense? 

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