With the coronavirus pushing court cases online and giving the legal process a casual feel, a Florida judge known for being outspoken is reminding participants the dress code still applies.
Broward Circuit Judge Dennis Bailey made the plea in a letter published through the Weston Bar Association. More pointedly, Bailey, who was first elected to the bench in 2014, said attorneys should get out of bed and put their clothes on when conducting hearings through Zoom.
“The judges would appreciate it if the lawyers and their clients keep in mind these Zoom hearings are just that: hearings. They are not casual phone conversations,” Bailey wrote. “It is remarkable how many ATTORNEYS appear inappropriately on camera. We’ve seen many lawyers in casual shirts and blouses, with no concern for ill-grooming, in bedrooms with the master bed in the background, etc.”
Bailey complained that one male attorney appeared shirtless during a Zoom hearing, while a female lawyer was on camera while in bed “still under the covers.”
“And putting on a beach cover-up won’t cover up (that) you’re poolside in a bathing suit,” Bailey wrote. “So, please, if you don’t mind, let’s treat court hearings as court hearings, whether Zooming or not.”
Source: New York Times
If you ask me, the judge is perfectly right. Court proceedings are official and must be treated as such!