No flip-flops, miniskirts or see-through clothing in court: Cagliari sets the dress code
The Court of Cagliari has issued guidelines on the dress code for entering courtrooms and court offices
For some, it is ‘perhaps a bit too much’; for others, however, it is ‘the right decision’ to ensure respect for the institution. What is certain is that the Court of Cagliari has issued guidelines on the dress code for entering courtrooms and judicial offices.
Mini-skirts and flip-flops banned
The dress code, initially aimed at visitors and subsequently updated with a new stipulation to apply to everyone, including magistrates, is clear: miniskirts and beach flip-flops are prohibited. Also prohibited are short trousers and shorts, caps and see-through clothing, vests and sleeveless tops. Security staff manning the entrances and access points will ensure compliance with the directive. The new guidelines apply to everyone entering the Courthouse.
Decision in July
The decision was taken in July by the Permanent Conference, the decision-making body comprising the President of the Court of Appeal, the President of the District Court, the Attorney General and the Public Prosecutor, the Chair of the Supervisory Board, all administrative heads and the President of the Bar Association.
Decorum and respect
A decision, as stated in an interview with *L’Unione Sarda* by the President of the Court of Appeal, Massimo Orlando, taken ‘at the Permanent Conference in July, with everyone agreeing on the appropriateness and purpose of restoring dignity to the courts, out of respect for those who work there and for the citizens themselves’.
Reactions
Lawyer Annamaria Busia points out that lawyers and judges must wear their robes during court hearings, noting that she would have preferred to ‘avoid the reference to skirts and use less specific wording’. She then adds: “Good manners and common sense should be enough, given the institutional sanctity of the place. This is not always the case,” she adds, “so it is clear that a sign is necessary.” Lawyer Riccardo Schirò shares this view. ‘A minimum of decorum is required everywhere, especially in a place where justice is administered with respect for the institutions,’ he says. ‘A bit of common sense should be enough, but, evidently, it isn’t.’
