Reforms to simplify judicial court working dress in England and Wales were announced today by the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers.
Criminal Jurisdiction
High Court Judges will have a single set of robes for criminal proceedings throughout the year. These will be those that they currently wear in the winter. Apart from this there will be no change to court dress worn by judges when sitting in criminal proceedings.
Civil and Family Jurisdiction
Judges will no longer wear wigs, wing collars and bands when sitting in open court in civil and family proceedings. The Circuit Bench, in accordance with their current wish, will continue to wear the same gown. All other judges will wear a new, simple, gown which is in the course of design.
Advocates
It is expected that advocates will adopt a similar dress code to that of the judge. Thus there will be no change to what is worn by the Bar in criminal proceedings but in civil proceedings wigs, wing collars and bands, will no longer be worn.
Other advocates, as defined in section 27(9) of the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990, will be permitted to wear wigs, wing collars and bands, in circumstances where these are worn by the Bar.
These changes will be brought into effect on 1 January 2008 by a Practice Direction that will be handed down by the Lord Chief Justice.
Financial Implications
These changes will be reflected in the dress allowances made to judges. Furthermore, newly appointed Circuit Judges will no longer receive an allowance to buy full-bottomed wigs. Substantial savings will result. Whilst the one-off cost of supplying the new civil gown is estimated at about £200,000, annual savings in the region of £300,000 will thereafter be made.
Lord Phillips said:
“At present High Court judges have no less than five different sets of working dress, depending on the jurisdiction in which they are sitting and the season of the year. After widespread consultation it has been decided to simplify this and to cease wearing wigs, wing collars and bands in the civil and family jurisdictions. While there will never be unanimity of view about court dress, the desirability of these changes has a broad measure of agreement.”
Notes for Editors
- The analysis of the 2003 public consultation paper on court working dress is available on the judicial website.
- Section 27 (9) of the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990:
(9) In this section—
"advocate", in relation to any proceedings, means any person exercising a right of audience as a representative of, or on behalf of, any party to the proceedings; "authorised body" means—
(a) the General Council of the Bar;
(b) the Law Society; and
(c) any professional or other body which has been designated by Order in Council as an authorised body for the purposes of this section;
