For people who have had little previous experience with the court system, attending a divorce hearing can be a stressful and daunting situation. Emotions already tend to run high between spouses who are in the middle of a divorce, but the prospect of attending a court hearing about a contested issue can be downright frightening. One of the most common questions about attending a court hearing concerns what you should wear to a court hearing.
Some courts have specific dress codes, but more often, it is up to you to determine what you should wear. First, avoid any obviously inappropriate clothing, including bikini tops, halter tops, very short shorts, and jeans that are ripped to shreds. You also should avoid wearing your pajamas and slippers to court, which happens more often that you might suspect. Flip-flops that you normally wear to the beach and excessive make-up, likewise, are probably not the best idea. Finally, wearing t-shirts with inappropriate sayings or curse words is not a good idea.
On the other extreme, there is no need to dress as if you were attending a wedding. Formal gowns and dresses are unnecessary, as are tuxedos and overly high heeled shoes. Dressing for church is often the guideline that lawyers use to advise their clients measure their dress by when attending a court hearing. However, as long as your appearance is generally clean and neat, you probably will be dressed appropriately for court. Clean jeans and a button-down shirt or polo shirt are acceptable for men. Casual business wear and clean jeans and a nice shirt also are acceptable for women attending court hearings.
Pacific Northwest Family Law knows how to handle all of the different issues that Washington divorce cases involve, including issues that require you to attend divorce hearings. We understand how stressful these types of cases can be, which is why we are here to help guide you through your divorce proceedings as simply and efficiently as possible. Contact our offices today to set up an appointment with one of our Washington divorce lawyers and see what we can do to help with your case.