Women lawyers have been getting unsolicited wardrobe advice from law schools, bar associations, and judges for years. This time, the offending garment was a gray J.Crew shift dress. The scandalous detail that may leave you clutching your pearls? It had no sleeves. Gasp!
As reported by the New York Post, Texas defense attorney Mariah Medina says a judge called her attire “inappropriate” during a brief appearance in a Bexar County courtroom. Behold, the offending attire:
According to Medina, the judge had her come around the bench so she could inspect the dress in front of other lawyers and defendants. The judge then asked whether Medina really thought it was suitable for a jury trial and whether she had a blazer in her car. Medina’s case, however, wasn’t going to trial that day.
Medina was wearing a conventional, knee-length work dress. To be quite honest, there’s nothing really “inappropriate” about it. She says it didn’t violate the dress code posted outside the judge’s courtroom, and went on to call the public critique “mean spirited and unprofessional.” Medina offered additional commentary to the Post:
The young lawyer blasted the judge but said she would cover up whenever she’s in her courtroom.
“It’s not the hill to die on and I have no problem throwing a coat on in the couple months she has left on the bench after being voted out of office.”
Sure, judges can set expectations for their courtrooms. But if bare shoulders are forbidden, lawyers ought to know that before a routine appearance turns into an impromptu fashion hearing.
We’ve covered this routine before: a woman lawyer shows up to do her job, and everyone winds up discussing her outfit. Of course a judge is entitled to enforce courtroom decorum, but calling a lawyer up for a public inspection of her perfectly ordinary work attire seems like a strange way to go about it. If professionalism is the goal, it ought to apply on both sides of the bench.
Texas lawyer called out by judge for ‘inappropriate’ dress in front of entire courtroom [New York Post]
Staci Zaretsky is the managing editor of Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Bluesky, X/Twitter, and Threads, or connect with her on LinkedIn.
The post Judge Puts Lawyer’s Sleeveless Dress On Trial appeared first on Above the Law.
Women lawyers have been getting unsolicited wardrobe advice from law schools, bar associations, and judges for years. This time, the offending garment was a gray J.Crew shift dress. The scandalous detail that may leave you clutching your pearls? It had no sleeves. Gasp!
As reported by the New York Post, Texas defense attorney Mariah Medina says a judge called her attire “inappropriate” during a brief appearance in a Bexar County courtroom. Behold, the offending attire:
According to Medina, the judge had her come around the bench so she could inspect the dress in front of other lawyers and defendants. The judge then asked whether Medina really thought it was suitable for a jury trial and whether she had a blazer in her car. Medina’s case, however, wasn’t going to trial that day.
Medina was wearing a conventional, knee-length work dress. To be quite honest, there’s nothing really “inappropriate” about it. She says it didn’t violate the dress code posted outside the judge’s courtroom, and went on to call the public critique “mean spirited and unprofessional.” Medina offered additional commentary to the Post:
The young lawyer blasted the judge but said she would cover up whenever she’s in her courtroom.
“It’s not the hill to die on and I have no problem throwing a coat on in the couple months she has left on the bench after being voted out of office.”
Sure, judges can set expectations for their courtrooms. But if bare shoulders are forbidden, lawyers ought to know that before a routine appearance turns into an impromptu fashion hearing.
We’ve covered this routine before: a woman lawyer shows up to do her job, and everyone winds up discussing her outfit. Of course a judge is entitled to enforce courtroom decorum, but calling a lawyer up for a public inspection of her perfectly ordinary work attire seems like a strange way to go about it. If professionalism is the goal, it ought to apply on both sides of the bench.
Texas lawyer called out by judge for ‘inappropriate’ dress in front of entire courtroom [New York Post]
Staci Zaretsky is the managing editor of Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Bluesky, X/Twitter, and Threads, or connect with her on LinkedIn.
