Major reasons why Lawyers wear wigs In Court

Have you ever wondered why lawyers wear wigs? If yes, you are in the right place. In this short article, we will clearly explain and point out some of the reasons why lawyers still wear wigs today.

The culture of lawyers wearing wigs as part of courtroom dress code arose as a result of the common practice of the era

Until the 17th century, lawyers were expected to appear in court with clean, short hair and beards. Judge portraits from the early 1680s still show him with natural hair and no wig. Charles XI, King of England from 1660 to his 1685, returned from France and brought with him the trend of wearing periwigs from the court of his XIV to Louis. Since then, British society has embraced this trend, as has the barrister.

However, wigs in those days were also worn for other reasons.

Why Lawyers Wear Wigs

1. Some wore wigs to hide their baldness. Wigs were expensive in those days, so these people were usually wealthy, like Louis XIV.

2. At that time, diseases such as lice were prevalent, so some people wore wigs to hide their shaving.

Furthermore, wigs gradually fell out of fashion during the reign of George XI (1760-1820). By the end of the century they were mainly worn by bishops, coachmen, and legal professionals. She had an ongoing interest in wearing wigs because she felt that she was sufficiently differentiated or stood out from the rest of society.

 These days, many judges and lawyers who wear wigs claim that wigs bring a sense of formality and solemnity to legal proceedings.According to Washington DC attorney Kevin Newton, The above reasons are actually the overwhelming point of having a wig. Some argue that the wig is a symbol of anonymity, an attempt to keep the wearer away from being personally involved in the case, and also a way to visually emphasize the primacy of the law.

In the UK, however, the tradition of wearing wigs in court was challenged in a case presided over by Baron Phillips, Chief Justice of the Matlabor of Worthy, in 2007. Wigs worn in civil or family cases A Supreme Court justice was held when it was no longer held. However, wigs and robes are still used in criminal trials.