Dressing Appropriately for Court
The Virginia Gazette recently published an article about appropriate courtroom attire. I know that seems like a boring subject, but it causes a great deal of discomfort for people who have never been in a courtroom. Here's is a link to the article: http://www.vagazette.com/news/va-vg-court-attire-0507-20140506,0,1271411.story
For attorneys and expert witnesses most of it is second nature. For my clients who have never set foot in a courtroom my usual advice is to dress like you are going to the most important job interview of your life. That means get your hair cut, men should put on a tie and a suit or a sport coat and women should wear an appropriate (i.e. modest) dress, a nice blouse and slacks, or a pants suit. It may not seem fair, but women should keep in mind that their case may be decided by someone very old school about how women should dress in a professional setting.
Perhaps the most important thing is for the client to feel comfortable in the courtroom. If the client feels like he or she stands out in the crowd the client will be distracted from his or her testimony. That's probably all the fashion advice you will get from this blog as, like a lot of men, I take my cues from wife on how to dress appropriately. However, if you have a pending court hearing do not be shy about asking your attorney about all the small details including courtroom appearance and conduct.
