If you’re going to divorce court, you need to know what to wear. Your Stockton divorce attorney will be happy to answer your questions about what to wear to divorce court, but it’s best if you get a general idea now.

It’s about more than just looking your best; it’s also about respecting the dignity of the court and keeping the focus on your case… not on your choice of attire.

What to Wear to Divorce Court in Stockton

Whether you’re a man or woman, it’s important to remember that conservative clothing is more appropriate in court than anything that’s designed to get attention through bright colors, wild patterns, or styles that may be more suited to nightlife than to stand before a judge. Each courtroom in the state of California is a solemn place, and formality is key.

What you wear may not affect the outcome of your case, but use your best judgment. If you’re trying to show the judge that you’re having a tough time paying the bills, it’s probably best not to show up in a designer suit, for example.

The Basics: General Appearance

No matter what side you’re on in the case, and regardless of whether you’re there for child support, alimony, or anything else, you always want to be clean and presentable when you show up. Ideally, you’ll present a well-groomed, neat appearance.

Women: What to Wear to Divorce Court

Put some thought into your choice of attire, which should be clean and in good shape; remember, items of clothing that are not appropriate for court include:

• Open-toed shoes or sandals
• Shorts
• Cut-off shorts
• Jeans
• Shirts with slogans or sayings on them
• Torn clothing
• Tank tops
• Spaghetti straps
• Low-cut blouses or tops
• Crop tops
• Sweatshirts or T-shirts

What’s more appropriate is a skirt and jacket (provided that your skirt hangs just above, at, or below your knees), or a pantsuit or dress. Nice slacks and a blouse are fine, too, as long as you button your blouse conservatively. Skorts can be appropriate, as well, if they’re as long as a skirt would be.

Men: What to Wear to Divorce Court

Gentlemen, you have to consider the same things women must consider when dressing for court. Your clothes should be clean and in good shape, too, and don’t wear anything like:

• Sandals
• Shorts
• Jeans
• Shirts with slogans or sayings on them
• Torn clothing
• Tank tops
• Sweatshirts or T-shirts
• Baseball caps or other hats
• Sneakers, cleats, or tennis shoes

Never wear clothing with inappropriate or obscene language or symbols to court, and certainly don’t wear anything depicting illegal activities.

Wearing slacks and a button-down shirt and tie is appropriate for court, as is wearing a long-sleeved, collared shirt with khakis if you don’t have a suit. The key is to have a collar on your shirt; make sure all the buttons are buttoned (even if you’re not wearing a tie), as well.

Exceptions to the Rules

If you don’t have these items of clothing, don’t go buy anything new (unless you already intended to do so). Just make sure that what you wear is clean and in good repair—and if you’re not sure whether something is okay, ask your Stockton divorce lawyer first.

Do You Need to Talk to a Stockton Divorce Lawyer?

If you need to talk to a lawyer about divorce, call us at 209-910-9865 or get in touch with us online for a divorce case evaluation. We’ll evaluate your situation and begin developing a strategy that gets you the best possible outcome.