Dress Code In A Small Claims Court - Update

[RoyNo1]

So as promised here is an update on my question where I asked about appropriate dress for a small claims court. https://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Law/Question1594402.html

I had my court hearing last Friday, I attended in a collard button down shirt, tie, smart grey trousers with smart black shoes. The girl who was suing me also attended well dressed in a smart blouse and skirt. So I would say that we both attended appropriately dressed.

Brief details of the case were: 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 was suing me for negligence to pay for her property items, I was contesting the amount that she was suing me for.

So onto the actual judgement. she was successful in suing me, not for the full amount but more than I had hoped I would have to pay her. We had tried to reach a suitable out of court settlement but could not agree. I had offered half the amount and later made her an increased offer but she did not accept and went ahead with suing me for damages

She may not have expected to be awarded the full amount as she seemed satisfied with the outcome. As I’ve said it wasn’t the full amount but more than I had hoped to have to pay her. This is my first experience of being taken to court and I hope it is my last! So I now have to pay her, which I will and I’ll move on.

Just going back to the subject of dress code, I dressed smartly to look like I was showing a good attitude and respect for being in a court, not because I felt it would affect the outcome, she very likely did the same. I would assume that a judge has to base his decision and the amount of damages on the evidence that is put in front of him. However I just wonder that if someone does attend a court hearing badly dressed and shows a bad attitude, could a judge take any kind of action with that?

[bednobs]

i hope not. Thanks for the update

[jno]

Depends on what constitutes the bad attitude, or at any rate what a judge thinks is a bad attitude; judge and jury alike may subconsciously assess a persons credibility according to how he behaves - and I think that's probably fair enough where credibility is an issue. Clothing is less likely to be a factor, even subconsciously, but neat and tidy is always a good idea.

[Barmaid]

Dress and attitude are quite different things. I have never in 25 years known a judge to kick someone out of court simply for their dress.

I have seen people turn up like ragamuffins but have paid the appropriate amount of respect to the Court and acted sensibly. On the other hand I have seen smartly dressed people launch into a tirade of abuse.

I have seen bad attitude shown in Court and that has been dealt with appropriately. But I have never yet seen anyone being dealt with by the Judge for their attire.

[RoyNo1]

I guess that being badly dressed can't always be helped but bad attitude can Barmaid, so I can well understand why you have never seen a judge take any action against anyone appearing like a ragamuffin providing they show good attitude and respect to the court. I can also totally understand why a judge would take action with anyone who comes into a court and shows no respect with their bad attitude.

I went to the court in smart attire as from the advice I had been given it was appropriate and the right thing to do and I would think that the girl who took me to court did the same.

[Barmaid]

It's over now, Roy. And by the sounds of it you did OK. Not as much as she wanted but not as little as you wanted. In my experience that is often par for the course.

I have actually seen a very snotty woman kicked out of Court by the Judge because she couldnt keep quiet whilst her husband gave evidence (she was sitting at the back and not a party). She was extraordinarly objectionable and the Judge gave her significant latitude. Eventually though (and he was one of the most mild mannered tribunals I have ever appeared in front of) he could take no more and he ordered her out. It was actually a relief for all of us. Not least, I suspect, her husband........

[RoyNo1]

That is very interesting to hear Barmaid, in that a judge did take appropriate action against that snotty woman because she couldn't keep her trap shut!

I think you have summed up my case very well in "not as much as she wanted but not as little as I wanted", so we end on a par. You are also right that it's over and done with now, I did OK so the best thing is just to move on, thanks.

[New Judge]

Take a trip to your local Magistrates' Court for an eye-opener.

Many defendants dress like rag-bags. Those who have some idea of respect for the court usually don their best track suit bottoms. You cannot attend the Youth Court (it is closed to the public) but that is equally bad. In addition to that the attenders usually see it as a jolly day out and a chance to meet up with their fellow miscreants.

[Barmaid]

New Judge, did you have to? I had done my best to forget the MC.......

But one funny story a friend told me. Turned up to represent 14/15 y/o lad accused of a s5 POA offence which in effect amounted to him having told a police officer to "eff off".

Mum turns up with lad (and 6 other kids who for some inexplicable reason were not at school but were in fact running riot in the Court corridors smacked off their heads on haribos, wotsits and sugar filled drinks). In conference with the defendant, the mother interjects "he didnt ***g do it, I am ***g telling ya, he dont ***g swear, he was brought up f***** proper". My friend decided to give up criminal law not long after that......

[Hopkirk]

Does she still live downstairs? Ask her out for dinner.

[emmie]

being in court whatever type is a serious matter and you did the right thing in turning up smartly dressed.
I had a court case of a similar nature where i sued the company who sold me a computer, the solicitor usually turned up dressed so inappropriately that i think it
did turn that case in my favour. I won and got my money back, but it cost me 12 months of doing the right thing.

[RoyNo1]

Ha Ha Hopkirk, yes I could knock on her door to ask her out for dinner just to show there are no hard feelings! If I did that, I think she would more likely get a bucket of water and throw it in my face than accept an offer like that! Anyway the young lady no longer lives there, she moved out a couple of months ago.

[RoyNo1]

Thank you for replying jno, I had thought that clothing would not be a major factor, but I felt that attending a court dressed in smart attire was the right thing to do, just as the girl who had taken me to court did so we were both appropriately dressed.

[RoyNo1]

I'm pleased to hear you won you case with the computer company emmie, though I'm quite shocked to hear that a solicitor attended court inappropriately dressed.

I dressed very smartly in my shirt and tie as I felt that would be appropriate and the young lady dressed in a blouse and skirt which I guess she did for the same reason.

I think Barmaid summed up my case pretty well in saying that she did not get quite as much as she wanted and I have to pay a bit more than I wanted so we finish on a par.

I've commented to some on here in a rather light-hearted manner, but you are right that being in court whatever type is a serious matter. After all in my case the young lady was suing me for £3000 in damages. OK, it's not an amount that was ever going to bankrupt me, but I would still call £3000 quite a serious sum of money, as many other people would.

Of course I do hope that this is the first and last time that someone will sue me, but should anything like it happen again at least I know how to dress appropriately and show respect for being in a court.

[emmie]

the solicitor turned up, because we went to court any number of times, like he had just got out of bed, it was an eye opener.. and a disgrace

[RoyNo1]

From what some are saying, it would seem that there are sometimes some real eye openers in court hearings and trials. I've yet to experience being part of a jury in a crown court trial and I can imagine that there could be some eye openers there. Though if I do ever find myself being part of a jury, I hope it is the only time I see the inside of a crown court!

[Peter Pedant]

// Many defendants dress like rag-bags. Those who have some idea of respect for the court usually don their best track suit bottoms.//

as a juryman I can attest to this - then the defendants started gesticulating to their frenz in the gallery and the Judge kinda went off his trolley. In the gallery there was a motley crew who looked like extras from Benidorm. You know - ear hoops that were so large the lady in question had to go sideways froo a door.

[Peter Pedant]

// of a s5 POA offence which in effect amounted to him having told a police officer to "eff off". //

dat funny dat ( sozza Barmaid - speaking AB there - I wouldnt DREAM of doing that in court, heavens milord no no no!)

I thought my contemporary at law school Justice David Bean had ruled the fuzz just had to put with it. Milord - His honour, or whatever. He made it and I didnt....and I did something else

[RoyNo1]

Peter, there is no way I would ever have attended a court hearing dressed in attire like you say many defendants do (rag-bags), and as for the rest you describe, it's no wonder that the judge kinda went off his trolley!