What should you wear to the Shelby County Courthouse for your divorce hearing.

We all do it each and every day, we get dressed. But most people aren’t used to getting dressed to go to court for a divorce or custody matter. That’s why we wrote this post. Here’s your guide on what to wear for your Memphis Divorce case.

The first thing you need to think about is whether your “day in court” will be for a contested divorce or for an uncontested divorce. What you wear really depends on the type of divorce case you have.

If your case is not contested, such as a no-fault divorce or approval of an agreement, then the following attire is recommended:

• For Men:  A nice pair of slacks and a dress shirt or golf shirt would be appropriate. A sports coat or suit may be worn but certainly is not required. Leave your “flip flops” at home! Be sure to wear shoes and socks (seems like a basic thing doesn’t it?). Don’t even think about wearing shorts in the Courtroom, or tank tops, tee shirts, shirts reflecting foul or vulgar language or politically incorrect language, or hats.
• For Women:  A dress, skirt and top, or slacks and a nice top would be appropriate. As in the paragraph above, it would not be appropriate to appear in Court in shorts, extremely revealing skirts or shirts, a halter top, or a skimpy tank top, or flip flops.

In contested divorces, where you will testify against one another, the judges impression of you is much more important, and the proper and/or appropriate clothes you should wear changes dramatically.  For instance, in a contested divorce or child custody hearing, you should wear the following type of clothes (think, dress like your lawyer):

• For Men: Same as above; however, a sports coat or suit could be worn but would not be considered mandatory. If the Husband/Father is seeking custody of his child or children, he would want to be dressed conservatively – nothing too flashy, nothing too out-of-the ordinary. For example, if a young Husband is seeking custody of his children, he could receive “negative” points if he appeared in Court in non-traditional attire such as Black Gothic Style clothing or wildly colored hair. Remember, that most Judges are older conservative individuals. If the Husband/Father has an abundance of tattoos, he should consider wearing a long-sleeved shirt to “cover” them.  Also, it would be advisable for the client to remove evidence of body piercings – ears, lips, nose, eyebrows, etc.
• For Women:  The main point to remember is that this is not the time to appear to be “hot” or “sexy” – especially if you are seeking custody of your children. You want to appear stable, sensible, warm and loving. Soft colors are better than bright and vibrant colors. Longer skirt lengths are better than short skirt lengths. You do not want to wear anything that would be considered “too short, too skimpy, too wild, too bold, or too sexy”.

Typically, clients should dress for Court as they would for church or an important job interview. If you are in the armed services, wearing your military attire is a very safe choice. If you look sloppy or inappropriate, the Judge may believe that you are showing or displaying a lack of respect for the Court.  Never forget that you have only one opportunity to create that “first impression”, so consider these “do’s and don’ts” in advance of your Court date and make a good impression with the Judge.

Thanks to the South Carolina Family Law blog for this post.