What Should I Wear when I Go to Court?

Scripts

Most of the time, we live our lives by script.

What I mean is you know how to act, what to do, and how to look in any given situation because you’ve been in that situation thousands of times.

There’s a certain way you talk and dress when you go to McDonald’s. Your behavior and clothes are different when you go to church, or to the office (I hope, at least). You talk about certain things when you go to the gym to lift weights, and those things are different than when you’re at an orchestra concert.

We become so used to our scripts that we don’t even think about them after a while. You just know how to dress for your job or for a date with your wife.

Divorce — No Script

And then you find yourself dealing with divorce.

We have no script for divorce. No one knows how to handle things. How to talk. How to act. What to do. There’s no how-to manual for this stuff.

Divorce requires a guide, someone to help you write a script to follow.

That person is (or should be) your divorce attorney. You attorney should let you know how the divorce process works, how it works legally, how it works emotionally, and how it works financially. Look for an attorney who teaches you and helps you write your script.

Part of Your Divorce Script: How to Dress for Court

One important part of any divorce script should include how to dress for court.

(Note: honestly, you probably won’t go to court. I’m not sure about the exact numbers, but less than half of the divorces we help our clients with ever end up in front of a commissioner or judge. That means over 50% (probably far in excess of 50%, actually) of our divorces ever see the inside of a courtroom.)

But, if you do go to court, you need to have a game plan about what to wear.

Here is what we tell our clients: dress like you’re going to church or to a funeral. You want to treat this like it’s one of the most important events in your life — because it is. Show this event, and the court, the most respect possible.

If you’re a man, wear a suit and tie. If you don’t have a suit and tie, that’s fine, wear your best clothes, but the closer those clothes are to a suit and tie, the better. And, please, no sandals.

If you’re a woman, wear a dress (skirt a blouse is fine) or a pant suit. Conservative colors and fashion. Covered shoulders and no short skirts. Please, no crazy designs or wild colors. You can make a splash at Mardi Gras another time.

Last Thought

One last piece of advice: if, when you’re picking out clothes to wear for court, and you think to yourself, “Is this appropriate for court?” don’t wear it.

If you’re not 100% sure it’s appropriate for court, choose something else.

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Brown Family Law

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Mack

I would give them 10 stars if I could. Clay was professional and super organized. He took the time to explain everything. I would highly recommend him for any family law needed. Melanie was a godsend. She not only kept me continually informed of the progress, she sent texts of encouragement and support throughout the entire process. I would give her 100 stars for going above and beyond to make this experience less stressful. Her encouragement and genuine caring were comforting and calming. The entire staff at Brown Law are on your side and if you are lucky enough to get Clay and Melanie on your team you will not be disappointed. Thanks! Mack M.

Response from the owner:Wow, thank you so much. Melanie is great. Glad she helped you so well.

Alex Rogers

Nathaniel was an incredible partner throughout the divorce process. He was organized, responsive and respectful of my wishes while simultaneously giving me guidance and advice. I would recommend him to anyone.

Christie Cisneros

I couldn’t have made it through my divorce without Clay and his team! I am forever thankful for the hours and time spent with me to help navigate an extremely difficult time in life. They’re reliable, knowledgeable, and know how to get things moving in an efficient manner. Nothing but good to say here!!

Halie Bates

Working with Daniel Young at Brown Family Law was a truly positive experience during one of the most difficult times of my life. From the start, Daniel was knowledgeable, compassionate, and incredibly responsive.
If you need a family law attorney who combines expertise with empathy, I cannot recommend Daniel Young enough. He is a true advocate and a credit to Brown Family Law.

Jessica Lance

Nathaniel and Carren have been absolutely incredible to work with. They kept me informed and in the loop throughout each step of the process. They always answered every question I had in a very quick and timely manner. I could not recommend them more.

Amy Christensen

This 5-star review is for Nathaniel Garrabrandt at Brown Family Law. Nathaniel was just what we needed. He helped guide us with a level of professionalism, efficiency, and genuine care that made a real difference during a challenging time. He is always thoughtful and respectful, and he never makes you feel like just another case. His communication was clear (with regular check-ins), his advice was solid and uncomplicated, and I always felt that he had his client's best interest at heart as he made suggestions. I’m grateful to have had such a capable and compassionate attorney to work with. You hope you never need these kind of services, but when you do, you want the best... and someone with high integrity. Nathaniel truly deserves all 5 of these stars, in every way.

Kenzie Murphy

Russell Yauney was my attorney at Brown Family Law. Throughout the process, Russell and his paralegal Conor, were extremely helpful and patient. They were highly responsive, thorough, and most importantly: did not make me feel insignificant or embarrassed for asking clarifying questions. Russell made himself available and whenever he wasn't, Conor was. The Friday Phone Calls were reliable and I knew I could expect an update each week. The firm's texting abilities also made it easy to send a quick question/concern if I ever needed it. Russell was a fantastic attorney and guide to have throughout my situation. I highly recommend this firm.