Edeh Samuel Chukwuemeka ChMC, is a Law Student and a Certified Mediator/Conciliator in Nigeria. Customs and traditions, in itself, influence laws to a great extent, especially since they form the genesis for any legislation. Dress codes form a significant aspect of any occupation. As wearing a black robe is an important wardrobe compulsion for lawyers, donning wigs is also essential in the same manner. I believe this post has done justice to this topic already. Wearing wigs to a certain extent enhances the anonymity of the individual representing his/her client in a court of law. All of these reasons elaborate on why lawyers wear wigs. This paper was called “The Discourse on Robes and Apparel.” This paper really led the way in adopting the robes and wigs as the uniform that is commonly worn by judges and barristers in the courtroom. The culture of lawyers putting on wigs as part of their courtroom dress code came as a result of the prevailing practices of that period. 【1 Million WHY】The main purpose of Channel: 【There are too many things in the world that are unclear to us. The Chief Justice of Western Australia, the Hon Wayne Martin, has announced that from 1 January 2010, Supreme Court judges will wear black robes rather than traditional red robes, without wigs, for all court sittings. Earlier, that is prior to the 17th century, the judges and lawyers were only required to keep their as clean and as short as possible. (1) It was originally designed to distinguish members of the legal profession from other members of society. During this period that the wearing of wigs were becoming less fashionable in the society, lawyers and judges felt that it sufficiently differentiated or made them stand out from the rest of the society thus their continued interest in wearing wigs. Africa as a continent has cases of high temperature; it is unreasonable and unbecoming for a lawyer or a judge to wear wigs in such temperatures in the name that it befits the profession. Just make sure you read this article assiduously so that you won’t miss any information contained in this page. However, the idea of abolishing them has met with disapproval from some lawyers who feel the wigs give them an air of authority as well as anonymity. In this short article, i will clearly explain and point out some of the reasons why lawyers wear wigs even till today. As part of most judicial branches of governments in many countries, it has been a common practice that hearings and other legal proceedings are done within the confines of a court. The authors beg to add that the age of a Lawyers’ wig matters a lot. Only a legal practitioner can provide legal advice. The use of any materials or services or software is not a substitute for legal advice. Wigs were a symbol of power and dignity, and it was used to distinguish lawyers from people belonging to other sections of society. Required fields are marked *. It all started with King Edward III in the 14th Century, when, a robe, cloak and … There were those who wore wigs as to prevent people from knowing that they shaved their hair, because there was a prevalent infestation of lice and other diseases in those days. It neither endorse, solicit work of any Lawyers, Law Firms and Legal Professionals. Nigeria is a case study. Non-Compete Agreements in Missouri and Kansas, How to Choose Best Legal Billing Software for Your Law Firm In 2021. Barristers are required to wear wigs, robes, jacket and jabot – which is a kind of collar with two pieces of material hanging down the front. In recent times, many judges and lawyers who wear wigs have argued that it brings a sense of formality and solemnity to legal proceedings. Lawyers in Hong Kong still wear garb that calls back to their days as a colony. So, wig is criticized on the ground that it defaces the profession when not properly taken care of. However, wigs in those days were also worn for some other reasons. When wigs are not worn Barristers appearing in Magistrates’ Courts do not wear wigs. Your email address will not be published. Samuel is bent on changing the legal profession by building Web and Mobile Apps that will make legal research a lot easier. For instance, in the magistrates courts, lawyers are not required to appear on wigs and gowns while pursuing a suit. The chief justice held in the case that wigs would no longer be worn during civil or family cases. Read Also: Why do Lawyers Wear Black Coat? See answer here. All upper court justices in Britain wear the famous "full bottomed" powdered wigs while lower court judges wear the shorter "barrister" wig. There have been so many criticisms of wigs by many scholars who advocate for its stoppage. This practice became well established in the 17th century and had been continuing ever since. On ceremonial occasions they wear a robe of black damask embellished with gold with the logotypeof the Su… They followed uninterruptedly wearing the wigs as it was not stopped by anyone. King Charles II of the UK made it compulsory for barristers to wear wigs. SUBSCRIBED. There were people who wore wigs in order to hide the fact that they were getting bald. October 30, 2011, Hari M, 1 Comment. The peruke, which is what they call their wigs because “wig” wasn’t a laughable enough name, is intended in large part to separate the advocate or judge from the job they perform. However, there are certain countries like the United Kingdom that still follow the custom of lawyers wearing wigs in trials and courts. Wigs made their first appearance in a courtroom purely and simply because that’s what was being worn outside it; the reign of Charles II (1660-1685) made wigs essential wear for … Wigs were a fashion statement in the late 17 th and early 18 th centuries. This is because the tradition dates back to the 17th century. The legal profession has always been considered an elite occupation. Since the creation of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom in 2009, the Justices of that court have retained the Law Lords' tradition of sitting unrobed. Portraits of judges from the early 1680’s still show judges who had their natural hair with no wigs on. He is also a Developer with knowledge in HTML, CSS, JS, PHP and React Native. Advertisement. But wigs and robes are still to be used in criminal trials. 2. Wigs have also been criticized on the ground that it makes for the discomfort of the person wearing it. This custom of wearing wigs as a part of one’s costume is a leftover tradition of British rule in the commonwealth. The most dreaded part of it is that the so called wig is white in color and shows when it is not properly taken care of. The most accepted is that it brings a sense of formality and solemnity to proceedings. Another reason why the wearing of wigs is prevalent practice in modern times is because of the degree of anonymity that it provides. Until the seventeenth century, lawyers were expected to appear in court with clean, short hair and beards. Black robes, white neckbands, and wigs are exclusive to persons who indulge in the legal profession. In Britain, it was customary for lawyers and judges to wear black gowns, white neck bands, and grey wigs. I expect that lawyer wearing a horse-hair wig in a Canadian court would be directed by the judge to remove it, for it is no longer part of prescribed lawyer’s attire in any Canadian court, and would be contrary to the purpose of gowning being to discourage any one lawyer from using attire to stand out from the other lawyers. Third, the wigs serve the practical purpose of making it harder to recognize the lawyers and judges outside the courtroom, thus lessening the chances of public harassment.