Things You'll Need

Instructions

1

Know your surroundings. Remember that courtrooms are formal settings where some of the most important decisions in our communities are made.
2

Know your judge. Check on the Internet or in local newspaper archives to see if there are any stories about the judge scolding defendants for their appearance. Ask your lawyer if there are any special standards to consider.
3

Bypass any article of clothing with a hole in it, no matter how nice it may otherwise look. Don't even consider wearing anything decorated with foul language or pictures of drugs or guns.
4

Pick clothing for the courtroom, not the weather. Dress conservatively to be indoors in a semi-formal setting even if it will be 95 degrees as soon as you walk outside the courthouse. For men, this means choosing slacks over shorts and keeping shirts tucked in.
5

Choose closed-toe shoes over flip-flops and sandals.
6

Avoid overaccessorizing. Put sunglasses in a pocket or purse, not in your hair. Leave the hat off your head. Choose discreet earrings and jewelry. Ask your attorney for guidance on things such as nose, lip and eyebrow piercings.
7

Straighten up. Give yourself one last look in a mirror in a courthouse restroom before seeing the judge.