Judges Told to Keep Hair On [but Change Their Clothes]

The Lord Chancellor's Department (LCD) has just published a public consultation paper about attitudes to traditional court dress in England and Wales. The paper is based on public opinion research conducted by ORC International. Wigs get majority support but (other) traditional attire does not.

Current court costume dates from Charles II's reign, and the survey found that more than half of those interviewed were in favour of making changes - judges, lawyers and court staff are all included.

The exception is the wearing of wigs, which received majority backing. The level of support depended on the perceived importance of the wearer, and two thirds (68%) of respondents backed the wearing of wigs by judges in criminal hearings, as a symbol of tradition and authority.

Following this survey, members of the public and the legal profession are being asked to present their views on the issue by 14 August to the LCD. The consultation paper is part of an integrated programme of consultation on reform of the judicial system, which will also include consultation over the summer on the future of the Queen's Counsel and a Judicial Appointments Commission.

According to Rory MacNeill, Director of ORC International, 'One of the key objectives of the consultation is to engage as many different sections of the public as possible. Already it seems clear that people don't believe that there is any justification for retaining court dress on the grounds of tradition alone'.

A representative sample of 2000 people was interviewed, including 500 court users. During the on-street interviews respondents were asked to comment on photographs of current court dress contrasted with images of potential less formal outfits.

Bald judges will no doubt be pleased with the findings - otherwise they should be sufficient to continue the age-old controversy between traditionalists and modernisers. However, if the LCD is in a mood to extirpate vestiges of the 16th Century remaining in the legal profession, let's hope they get started soon on the wording of contracts.

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas unless otherwise stated.

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