What to Wear to Your Divorce Trial

You face many issues when it comes to a New Jersey divorce. If you are like nearly all divorcing people, during your marriage dissolution case you’ve spent a considerable amount of time addressing a laundry list of matters. If you are also like most men and women, you’ve probably not spent much time thinking about what you should wear to your divorce trial. There are some tips to bear in mind when contemplating clothing choices for your divorce trial.

The Judge May Care What You Wear

In this day and age, “dress codes,” if they exist at all, have become very relaxed. One arena in which a dress code is still found in existence is in the judicial system, including in New Jersey divorce courts.

A New Jersey judge as an incredible amount of discretion in regard to what goes on in his or her courtroom. This includes what people will be permitted to wear when appearing before a particular judge.

The bottom line is that when you consider what you should wear during your divorce trial, you need to bear in mind that the judge presiding in your case actually may care about your clothing selections. A particular judge may believe that what a person selects to wear in his or her court for a divorce trial reflects on the level of respect that individual has for the judicial system.

Because a judge may care what you wear, you should err on the side of caution in selection your marriage dissolution trial outfit. In this regard, you should focus on more conservative garments. Even in today’s world, such an attire selection should include a jacket, tie, and nice slacks or even a suit for a man and a dress, suit, or similar clothing for a women.

Business casual may be appropriate as well. Your attorney can provide guidance as to what you should or should not wear for your trial. Indeed, your divorce attorney may raise the issue of courtroom attire before you’ve even had the chance to raise the issue with your legal counsel. An experienced attorney understands the importance of wearing proper clothing to court for a trial.

Fully Groom for Trial

When preparing for your marriage dissolution trial, you need to not only focus on the type of clothing you select for the proceedings, you also need to make sure that you are fully groomed for your day in court. You cannot be slipshod in grooming when a court trial is scheduled in your case.

If you are a man, you don’t want to appear in court with a scraggly, unshaven face. If you have facial hair, it must be well tended and neat. If you are a woman, you want to be mindful of everything from makeup to the manner in which you style your hair for the day.

One cautionary note regarding grooming for court is necessary to note. If you typically wear cologne or perfume, you may want to forgo the product on the day of your trial. In the alternative, you will want to make sure that you do not overdo when it comes to applying cologne or perfume.

Pay Attention to Accessories

When getting dressed for divorce court, you need to take case and more conservative approach which it comes to accessories or furnishings you select for the proceedings. In this regard, you absolutely do not want to overdo when it comes to jewelry and associated items. Overdoing in the accessory department can be distracted and send the wrong message to the court. An abundance of accessories like jewelry can send an array of misleading messages to the judge and others involved in your divorce proceedings.

Your Legal Rights in a New Jersey Divorce

If you are heading towards a New Jersey marriage dissolution case, you should be as proactive as possible in seeking out experienced legal representation. You can schedule a free initial consultation with a New Jersey divorce lawyer any that is convenient for you by calling the Law Offices of Peter Van Aulen at (201) 845-7400.

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