When going to Court, you’re going into a professional environment and your clothing and demeanor should match. Of course, the basics of appearing before a judge go unsaid, for example: wear wrinkle-free, clean clothes; have clean, combed hair, etc.
However, you don’t want to walk into a courtroom overdressed either. If you stand trial for failure to make child support payments, or filing bankruptcy, it is not a good idea to walk into the courtroom in a name brand suit and shoes that cost over $200.
For your convenience it’s best to stick with some of the following options below:
- Slacks
- Dress Shirt
- Polo Shirt
- Clean Shoes
- Blouse
- Skirt (knee length or longer)
- Heels (No higher than 1 1/2 inches)
- No animal print
- No neon colors
For most jurisdictions, there is a minimum standard for courtroom attire which is decided upon and enforced by a judge. These requirements are usually posted on the county courthouse website and/or on the courtroom doors. If you would like more details from each county you may find the contact information for each courthouse on www.nccourts.org. Keep in mind you not only will be expected to dress in an appropriate manner when going into a courtroom, judges notice your appearance and you want every advantage when your case is being heard to get the best result possible. Conducting yourself in a professional manner in the way you dress and speak to a judge makes the right impression every time.
