Dress Code In A Small Claims Court

[RoyNo1]

This is not exactly a legal question but “Law” seems like it’s probably the most appropriate place to post it.

I am due to attend a hearing in the small claims court this coming Friday. As far as I’m aware a small claims court is quite an informal setting and not like a higher court which would be a formal setting. So I am just wondering what sort of dress code is expected in a small claims court. I am sure that even with an informal setting, a smart standard of dress will be wise to show a good attitude and respect for being in a court, so it is more of whether smart casual dress is appropriate or wearing a full suit and tie would be best?

I’ll just say some brief details of my case, I am defending a claim brought against me, I caused some damage (water) to a flat directly below where I live. It damaged some of the property belonging to the girl who lived in the flat. In total it was over £3000 and she is suing me for negligence to pay for her property items, I am contesting the amount that she is suing me for. I have taken legal advice on this so I know where I stand.

I know there will be no lawyers in a small claims court, just me , the girl who is suing me and the judge. I don’t know her at all but I was told that she works in an administration office so will no doubt be used to dressing smartly so I’m assuming she will attend either smartly of perhaps formally dressed.

I don't want to treat this like it's a fashion contest, but I’m thinking it may be best to overdress to be on the safe side but I don’t want to look out of place, so does anyone have any experiences of being in a small claims court of just know what sort of dress standard is best?

[RoyNo1]

Thanks for replying Andy, I agree that respect for being in a court needs to be shown by dressing appropriately and I can imagine that there will be some men who just feel that it does not matter.
It is a female who is suing me and I know that she works in an administration office so she will be used to dressing smartly. I very much doubt she will turn up in any kind of dress down attire such as the coach driver you faced in court. Jeans, a tee-shirt and cardie, no wonder the magistrate was unimpressed!

[Barmaid]

I do think that anyone appearing in Court should dress appropriately. I agree that this shows respect the Court. However, District Judges (and this will be a District Judge or a Deputy District Judge) will not judge anyone on what is worn to court. They do understand that not everyone owns a jacket and tie. It will all come down to the evidence and how it is presented. Have you brushed up on Court procedure?

[RoyNo1]

Yes I'm sure that a judge will only go by the evidence given and not by how anyone turns up dressed, but like we agree, best to dress appropriately with some respect.

[Barmaid]

You'd be horrified if you had seen the sartorial elegance (or lack thereof) that I have seen in Court over the last 20 years........

[Peter Pedant]

oh address him as Sir or Mam

BM will have different rules ( your holiness - or judge - or some other damned thing)

SCC is a distric judge and they may also be in practice too ( Mondays gavel - guilty guilty guilty - rest of the week back in the office doing conveyances)
and some are awful little Hitlers
and some seem genuiinely interested in the case and getting to an answer.

[Barmaid]

PP - it is unlikely that a DJ sitting on the Small Claims Track does crime! They will be family or civil or a mixture of both.

(And yes, PP I am having a sense of humour failure. But I have been doing battle at the coal face today and I am a little tetchy).

[RoyNo1]

I'm quite surprised Barmaid, so you have seen many people attend court and dress in a manner like they have no care?

[RoyNo1]

Peter, I somehow had an impression that a judge might be some kind of "Little Hitler", though hopefully this one will not!

[Peter Pedant]

not you BM not you
but there has been a confusion between civil and criminal on this thread
and while once I would have pedantically .....
tonight I thought I would let it flap in the breeze

and yeah yeah I really know there is no judge in the UK one addresses as 'your holiness'
even tho god knows they like pontificating

sorry you had a bad day -
mine - burglar alarms mainly

tomorrow will be better

[RoyNo1]

Yes this is definitely civil Peter, I do sometimes find certain matters a bit confusing, but I'm not a criminal!