Dressed Down Justice

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Boston Sunday Herald - June 12, 2005

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Judges: Many guilty of taking casual dress too far in courtrooms p 9

Written By Laurel J. Sweet

Even Lady Justice made the effort to put on a dress. But is it any wonder she accessorized with a blindfold?

Bay Staters are throwing themselves on the mercy of their courts with as much prudence toward making a good impression as they would muster for a day of Dumpster diving.

Those who are affronted daily by defendants in sleeveless undershirts, witnesses in flip-flops or jurors in belly-baring tops fret that frumpy has become the law of the land, thanks to its accomplice, political correctness.

"It does bother us, but we have to go with the flow. We have to bite our tongues," said Superior Court Judge Charles M. Grabau. "That's the way people are these days - less formal. I promised my wife that on my last day on the bench I'm going to wear shorts under my robes."

Finer restaurants expect at least "business casual" attire, but at Boston Municipal Court, one man sported a clingy tank top, jeans, sneakers and a T-shirt wrapped around his head. No one hassled him, he said.

"You can pretty much dress how you want to dress," he said, declining to give his name.

Michael Shea, executive director of administrative offices for Massachusetts Trial Courts, acknowledged. "There's no central dress code. Judges have the authority to require proper decorum in their courtroom, and that includes setting minimum dress standards. The concern that any judge would have is, 'How subjective is my standard?' Nobody wants to embarrass somebody publicly."

Just the same, dressing for success never hurts, especially in a courtroom. When Samantha von Sperling, president of Back Bay-based Polished Social Image Consultants, was cited for running a stop sign on Newbury Street, she wore a basic black suit to court. Her case was dismissed.

"I wanted to look intelligent and law-abiding," von Sperling said. "You're basically asking for a favor and it should be done humbly."

Von Sperling objects to the argument that being strapped for cash is an excuse to look like a slob. "Everybody can take a cloth and spit-shine their shoes," she said. "It doesn't cost anything to take out an iron. You just want to go in looking respectable. The problem is most people don't know what respectable is."

Tina Holnian, 17, turned up in Housing Court to testify on her mother's behalf in a running jacket, caprice pants and sandals, her hair tied back with bright, sparkling baubles.

"I didn't think about it," Holman said of her outfit. "I just got up and thought I'd wear what I wanted to wear."

Roxbury District Court Judge Edward R. Redd has found most people he's dressed down to be apologetic and even willing to go home and change.

"I won't toss anybody out." Redd said. "I try to suggest that the minimal proper attire should be a shirt with a collar on it. I always try to use the courtroom - where appropriate - as an educational opportunity."

This Story ran in The Boston Sunday Herald, page 9, June 12, 2005.

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