Maintain Your Honor

I had a hearing this morning at Stanley Mosk. I noticed my ex parte for 8:30 a.m. We weren't heard until after 10:30 a.m. And the judge berated me for requesting a trial continuance. Total harangue. Not fun. But, even after all that scolding, she still granted my motion! You can't deny the Monkey! Yes! [fist pump]

Anyway, I got really really really bored while waiting to be heard, so I played with my iPhone for two hours. (Way to prep for your argument, Monkey!) I even took a photo of the courtroom while the judge was in chambers. Shh! You're not supposed to take pictures in the courtroom! My co-worker was like, "You did what?! How did you get away with that?!"

The Monkey tends to get away with a lot of things. Heh.

But there is a point to this post. What I really wanted to discuss is the utter lack of common sense regarding dress code amongst so many laypersons who go to court.

Court is not the beach. Court is not da club. Court is not even a fast-food restaurant.

If you go to court, dress appropriately and conduct yourself with proper decorum. Dress like you would for an interview or maybe for church. Don't bring a pack of unruly children to court. This isn't Disneyland, folks. Lawyers don't wear suits just for the hell of it. They do it out of respect for the court. And hauling a litter of poorly behaved rugrats into a courtroom is anything but respectful.

Dress code is, in fact, regulated by the Los Angeles County Local Rules. In particular, L.R. 8.2 provides:

Persons in the courtroom should not dress in a inappropriate manner such as to be distracting to others of usual sensibilities. Counsel shall so instruct parties they represent, witnesses they call and persons accompanying them.

Attorneys and court personnel should be dressed in accordance with current customs as to their business or work attire.

Come on, people! There's a rule about it! Please leave your bare midriffs and paint-splattered jeans at home. Go to court neat and clean. Err on the conservative side. Turn off your phone. Turn off your children. Thank you.