01. May. 2010. – 11:08:22
All organisations publish some sort of magazine or newsletter even if it consists only of a couple of stapled sheets of A4 or twenty lines on a home constructed web page. The Magistrates` Association with its 25,000 members is no exception and like many such publications its magazine’s “members` letters” pages are often the most interesting and thought provoking.
Over the past few months interesting correspondence has been published re the increased informality of some courts` design and the suggestion that the courts` authority might be increased by JPs` wearing of gowns. These are two subjects with a common link; the trend commonly known as “dumbing down”. Secondary school teachers were wearing black gowns a generation and a half ago; some still do; court ushers wear gowns, Crown Court barristers wear gowns and of course the legally qualified judiciary have gowns carefully graded to seniority. Lawyers in Magistrates` Courts appear in ”civvies”. Personally I don`t need a gown to exert authority but I accept that for some defendants appearing before gown wearing magistrates might help them to recognise the seriousness of the occasion and the court`s authority. On the subject of attire I would say that the declining formality of the female JP`s dress code is of more concern. Virtually all males wear suits usually dark in colour. Rarely does a female lawyer in court wear anything but the standard form of attire; dark suit and white blouse as do our female clerks. Not so some of my female colleagues. Coloured jumpers and tweed skirts and occasionally clothes more suitable on the golf course than on the bench are seen especially in the summer months. Quite clearly the large hat combined with twin set and pearls are as suitable today as is gas lighting but sometimes informality is taken a little too far…..in my humble opinion of course.
Designs of courtrooms vary considerably. The standard dais two or three feet off floor level allows members of the bench clear views and injects a certain psychological authority to the pronouncements. I have sat in courts where the bench is a simple table at floor level the JPs using typists` chairs. There are those who would approve and commend such informalities; I am not one of them.
I recollect last year being shouted at by an offender,” Who do you think you are? What right have you to doubt what I`ve told you?” I replied pointing above me to the Royal Crest, ”The right that that coat of arms bestows on this court and this bench”. When physical trappings are not superfluous but have meaning they are a useful adjunct.
So Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow`s dispensing of his predecessors` predilection for fancy dress met with my approval. Similarly when the next parliament is opened let Black Rod keep her rod but throw away the velvet and get the black two piece out the wardrobe.
Over the past few months interesting correspondence has been published re the increased informality of some courts` design and the suggestion that the courts` authority might be increased by JPs` wearing of gowns. These are two subjects with a common link; the trend commonly known as “dumbing down”. Secondary school teachers were wearing black gowns a generation and a half ago; some still do; court ushers wear gowns, Crown Court barristers wear gowns and of course the legally qualified judiciary have gowns carefully graded to seniority. Lawyers in Magistrates` Courts appear in ”civvies”. Personally I don`t need a gown to exert authority but I accept that for some defendants appearing before gown wearing magistrates might help them to recognise the seriousness of the occasion and the court`s authority. On the subject of attire I would say that the declining formality of the female JP`s dress code is of more concern. Virtually all males wear suits usually dark in colour. Rarely does a female lawyer in court wear anything but the standard form of attire; dark suit and white blouse as do our female clerks. Not so some of my female colleagues. Coloured jumpers and tweed skirts and occasionally clothes more suitable on the golf course than on the bench are seen especially in the summer months. Quite clearly the large hat combined with twin set and pearls are as suitable today as is gas lighting but sometimes informality is taken a little too far…..in my humble opinion of course.
Designs of courtrooms vary considerably. The standard dais two or three feet off floor level allows members of the bench clear views and injects a certain psychological authority to the pronouncements. I have sat in courts where the bench is a simple table at floor level the JPs using typists` chairs. There are those who would approve and commend such informalities; I am not one of them.
I recollect last year being shouted at by an offender,” Who do you think you are? What right have you to doubt what I`ve told you?” I replied pointing above me to the Royal Crest, ”The right that that coat of arms bestows on this court and this bench”. When physical trappings are not superfluous but have meaning they are a useful adjunct.
So Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow`s dispensing of his predecessors` predilection for fancy dress met with my approval. Similarly when the next parliament is opened let Black Rod keep her rod but throw away the velvet and get the black two piece out the wardrobe.
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