Feb 20, 2020 | Read Fourth dimension: half-dozen minutes | Criminal Defence

Whenever you lot appear in court, you need to dress appropriately. The judge, the jury, and the prosecutor will all see you. All of these people will take an enormous impact on the outcome of your instance, and they volition make snap judgments about you based on what you wearable. Yous want to make a good first impression on them, and how yous dress can brand or break your chance to practice that.

This commodity will tell you the dos and don'ts of dressing for a courtroom appearance.

Why It's Important: First Impressions are Key

Study subsequently study has shown that an private will form a kickoff impression of some other person within simply seconds of meeting. According to contempo neuroscience research, the man tendency to gauge a person from first impressions is hard-wired into our brains. We just can't seem to help making snap judgments during our first time coming together with a new person.

Fifty-fifty more surprising is the wide range of personality traits that beginning impressions cover. They go well beyond mere opinions about some other person's appearance or way sense. Studies show that people also brand snap judgments on the other person'south intelligence, social condition, friendliness, and truthfulness.

It'south easy to see how of import a judge's stance of your truthfulness can exist for your example. So you don't want to waste whatsoever opportunity to make the best get-go impression possible.

Information technology is also vital to make a adept first impression on the prosecutor. Many people overlook the importance of impressing the prosecutor, merely in many cases, the prosecutor holds the cards when it comes to deciding what type of plea to offer you. The prosecutor may offer a improve plea deal if he or she believes you are a law-constant private who made a one-fourth dimension lapse in judgment, rather than the type of person who likely is a repeat offender.

The importance of outset impressions is magnified by the fact that studies bear witness that they are very difficult to change in one case they are formed. This is considering of the psychological principle of consistency. Once a person forms an idea, they are less likely to change their opinion because they would start have to admit that their initial opinion was incorrect. People naturally practice non like to admit they are wrong, so instead, they endeavour to look for other evidence to back up their initial ideas. This is why a negative first impression tin be a curse, but a practiced first impression tin be a blessing.

What to Wear: Apparel Similar It's an Interview

Unless you're auditioning to play redundancy guitar in a punk rock band, y'all wouldn't get into a job interview wearing a muddy t-shirt and torn jeans. But it amazes me how many times I come across criminal defendants dressing poorly in the courtroom.

The courtroom is the place to dress professionally and put your best foot forward. A proficient rule of thumb is to dress for court similar y'all are dressing for an important business organization interview.

For men, this volition usually mean wearing:

  • A clean suit, or at the very least a sport coat and dress pants;
  • Dress shoes (conservative and closed-toe);
  • Matching apparel socks;
  • A conservative-looking collared shirt (solid colors, no extravagant patterns)
  • A solid color tie.

For women:

  • A dress blouse;
  • Wearing apparel pants or a professional brim;
  • Conservative dress shoes such as flats or low-heel pumps.

If yous have any questions well-nigh what to wear for a professional business organisation interview, numerous way magazines provide online articles that can help answer more specific questions. Too, don't exist afraid to ask your criminal defense attorney if yous have a question. An attentive attorney will be more than than happy to assist make sure you lot put your best foot forward in the court.

Proper Grooming

In improver to your clothes, you will too want to make certain that you lot are well-groomed and nowadays a clean, neat appearance.

For men, this will include existence either:

  • make clean-shaven or having a neatly trimmed beard.

When it comes to pilus, both men and women should:

  • Style hair in a dandy, conservative fashion;
  • Do not wait like you just rolled out of bed (i.e., not muddy, messy, or moisture hair);
  • Schedule a haircut a week or ii before your court date.

As for nails, they should be:

  • Smashing, make clean, and trimmed;
  • Whatsoever nail smoothen should be neutral or bourgeois (not flashy).

What Non to Wear: Don't Dress Casually or Controversially

Avert wearing anything too casual.

Don't wear:

  • T-shirts;
  • Jeans;
  • Tennis shoes or sandals;
  • Baggy or ill-plumbing equipment clothes;
  • Annihilation exposing your midriff or underwear;
  • Hats;
  • Athletic wear;
  • A sundress;
  • Too much jewelry (especially if it jingles when y'all move);
  • Anything flashy or sexy (nothing y'all would clothing on a Saturday night on the boondocks).

Courtroom is a concern-like event. If you dress casually, the judge may call back you are non taking the matter seriously, and he or she could take this equally an insult. Y'all may be rightfully upset about the fact you lot are a accused in a criminal instance. But no matter what you may think well-nigh the criminal charges confronting you, you ever want to show that you lot are respectful of the process.

While the courtroom is not a casual venue, you too don't want to dress overly formally or flashy. This is not the appropriate time to sport an evening gown or a tuxedo. Also, be sure that your apparel clothes are conservative and don't appear too stylish, or worse, tacky. Lovers of classic movies will remember the scene where Joe Pesci, playing the criminal defense attorney in My Cousin Vinny, waltzes into the courtroom wearing a red velvet adapt. Even though I personally would think you were hilarious if you lot wore that, y'all don't want to be that guy!

You should also avoid wearing annihilation controversial. Avoid any clothes with a political or social statement because you lot never know who you might offend—such every bit the judge. When I was a prosecutor, I saw more one defendant charged with a drug criminal offence walk into court wearing a shirt with a giant marijuana foliage on it. The accused might as well have hung a big sign that said "guilty" around his neck. Regardless of your opinion on marijuana legalization, your solar day in court is not the time to express it.

Embrace Any Tattoos, Remove Non-Traditional Piercings

In the 1950s, tattoos were the exclusive domain of bikers and sailors. Now, tattoos are everywhere and on everybody, from all walks of life, and it is common for many people to have tattoos. However, the social stigma confronting tattoos still exists in many circles, especially those that tend to be more socially conservative. Judges and jurors (who ofttimes consist of older members of gild) have a greater chance of being one of those people with a more traditional view on tattoos. To exist prophylactic, you will want to err on the side of caution, and yous should cover any tattoos that you have to the greatest extent possible.

The aforementioned is holds true for body piercings. While ear piercings on a woman are considered traditional, additional body piercings take become more mutual in recent years. To avert creating the wrong impression in the courtroom, leave things such as olfactory organ and tongue piercings at habitation.

Silence Your Phone

While this next piece of advice does not have to practise with dressing correctly, it is such a vital piece of data that information technology is worth mentioning here. Always silence your cell phone before going into court, or, better notwithstanding, plough information technology off completely.

Scottsdale Municipal Courtroom, and most other courts in Phoenix, accept specific courtroom etiquette guidelines that require you to silence your phones. If your phone rings in the court, the bailiff might toss yous out until the approximate calls your case. I accept seen this happen before. At the very least, you will bring negative attention to yourself, which is something you lot never desire.

Bonus Tip: E'er Speak Respectfully

You lot won't frequently have the opportunity to speak in court, and your attorney will likely encourage you to practice your right to remain silent. However, in certain court proceedings, you might accept the opportunity to speak, such equally during a settlement briefing or sentencing. At these moments, you lot should talk respectfully and deferentially to the judge. Likewise, always refer to the estimate equally "your honor."

Conclusion: Dress Conservatively to Convey Respect

All of the in a higher place points tin can be boiled downward to ane overriding purpose—showing respect to the court and creating a skillful impression. How yous clothes will convey a bulletin to the judge. You want to make the best starting time impression on the guess possible. The message that yous want to convey is that you respect him or her, y'all respect the proceedings, and you lot are a decent, trustworthy person. Dressing well for court conveys an unspoken message of respect, and this will subconsciously influence the attitude of people who see you in court—whether that be the judge or the prosecutor—in your favor.

As a person charged with a criminal offense, you want to get every possible reward that you can. So exist sure non to miss out on the opportunity to create a good outset impression by dressing inappropriately for your court advent.

If you have been charged with a crime, phone call me today at (480) 470-6119, or contact me online to schedule your free consultation.

Author Photo

Stewart Salwin

Stewart Salwin is the founder and lead chaser at Salwin Law Group, a criminal defense law house based in Scottsdale, Arizona, only outside of the greater Phoenix area. He is a graduate of Georgetown University and Harvard Law School, where he was taught criminal law by world-renowned defence force attorneys.