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Original poster

To think people going to court should dress appropriately and that doesn't include sports wear

57 replies

PrincessScrumpy · 20/08/2011 19:27

Seeing the news footage of many of those involved in the riots leaving court left me baffled. I've never been to court, however, I would assume that a smart suit would be the most appropriate item to wear. Am I alone in thinking that turning up in tracksuit bottoms, a football shirt and trainers is not going to get the magistrate on side and looks like you don't care?

OP posts:
Panzee · 20/08/2011 19:29

It's the mentality of those who get involved in the first place. They don't care. And don't have the brains to play the game either.

Sofabitch · 20/08/2011 19:31

It depends. If you have been held in custody you may not have had a chance. You may not own a suit or have the spare funds to buy a suit. I doubt a judge is stupid enough to think oo he is wearing a suit so must be sweet and innocent

CharlotteBronteSaurus · 20/08/2011 19:33

we were talking about this the other day.
I'm at the magistrates court a lot for work, and there has definitely been a shift in the last 10 years. back in the day even the most apathetic wrong 'un would borrow an ill fitting suit for court. these days you'd be hard pushed to see one.

DH assures me that the sportwear trend hasn't filtered up to Crown Court. Yet.

squeakytoy · 20/08/2011 19:41

Most of those who were charged with riot related offences were held in custody until their cases. I doubt they went rioting and looting in suits Grin

worraliberty · 20/08/2011 19:42

Squeaky Grin

SardineQueen · 20/08/2011 19:43

I had to go to a magistrates court when I was 17, and I wore my normal clothes.

I was young and very naive, had no-one advising me what to do, I just went along.

NOW obviously I would know to look very smart and to get legal representation.

Then, I didn't know that.

Lots of young people are a bit dim about this stuff, to put it mildly.

SardineQueen · 20/08/2011 19:44

My normal clothes when I was 17 were neither suits nor sportswear. I was a bit of a goth. That went down well Confused

That and no legal representation was a bit of a bad move, looking back on it.

catgirl1976 · 20/08/2011 19:44

YANBU. I had to attend court once. Everyone coming in was in sportsgear (and they had not been held in custody - they were coming in from home etc). I was Shock

My mum asked the court staff there was somewhere for naice people to sit so we didn't have to mingle with them.....bless.........Blush

JentlyDoesIt · 20/08/2011 19:46

DP was on trial at crown court last December & wore a beautiful suit (biased but never mind) however, some of the others on trial in different court rooms were in their "very best" sports wear Hmm... It shouldn't prejudice a jury but I'm bloody sure it does Confused we certainly had our judge pants on - every pun intended

worraliberty · 20/08/2011 19:48

And yet almost every con man in the land will wear a smart suit when commiting fraud or extorting money from the elderly.

SardineQueen · 20/08/2011 19:48

In fact I didn't have a suit when I was 17 and I wouldn't have been able to afford to buy one.

Maybe that is the issue here?

ProfessionallyOffendedGoblin · 20/08/2011 19:49

On the other hand, a smart suit could just scream 'career criminal'
Judge must see a lot of those as well.

catgirl1976 · 20/08/2011 19:50

They MUST have suits though.. what would they wear to a wedding? And some of the sports gear they wear is actually more expensive than a Matalan / George suit.

Or they could borrow one? They don't care.

SardineQueen · 20/08/2011 19:52

I didn't have a suit when I was 17 catgirl, nor did any of my friends.

We were gothy/alternative 6th formers, smart clothes just weren't on the agenda!

SardineQueen · 20/08/2011 19:53

I got my first suit when I got my first job interview after university.

I had jobs before that but I can't remember what I wore for the interviews...

ProcrastinatorGeneral · 20/08/2011 19:54

Friend overheard the following on a bus a few years ago:

Mother to son: "if yer don't wind yer neck in I'll not iron yer trackies fer court tomorrer"

The mind boggles.

motherinferior · 20/08/2011 19:54

I can't remember what I wore to be charged in the mags' court for civil disobedience back in 1982 but it sure as hell wasn't a suit.

LolaRennt · 20/08/2011 19:55

YANBU. Even if they are held in custody someone one would have brought them clothes they don't wear the same pants for a weeks surely?! You could borrow granddad's suit just to make an effort.

Hell if they were clever:
They wouldn't have rioted in the first place
Wouldn't have been caught
Would have stolen a suit just in case

aliceliddell · 20/08/2011 19:55

Sardine! You criminal!
Isn't the uncontrollable lust for sportswear a possible reason for their court appearance?

Marymaryalittlecontrary · 20/08/2011 19:56

I think everybody used to dress a bit more smartly for everything. A few years ago everyone dressed up when they went to the theatre, or to a restaurant, or if they went to church. These days only the more elderly bother. If you ever see an old game show from the eighties, most men are wearing a shirt and tie. These days most wear t shirts. I don't know why really but I can't help but wish we could go back to being a bit more formal about some situations, rather than give in to scruffiness. And I say that as quite a slob myself!

MagicFingerGoesPop · 20/08/2011 19:56

Cant you get your legal rep to bring you in clothes for court? Or it that just in movies? Confused

Sofabitch · 20/08/2011 19:57

I've seen people outside the registry office in trackiesHmm

catgirl1976 · 20/08/2011 19:57

I was a goth too Sardine - right from 15 to mid-twenties.

But these people are a bit different in that they really do not care.

Original poster
PrincessScrumpy · 20/08/2011 19:57

Doesn't have to be a suit, but smart clothing at least - surely someone can lend them a shirt and tie.

OP posts:
ellmum · 20/08/2011 20:01

I saw a defendant turn up in torn trackie bottoms and paint stained jumper. And he was late. I asked if he'd been held up at work. Apparently not, he didn't have a job. The Magistrates were delighted with him. Talked about him for most of the session. He was the worst I saw while working there. I never saw a smartly dressed youth in the Youth Court, not once.

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