Massachusetts Courts are very formal, commie state that it is. I was involved in an accident in Virginia and fought a ticket, big fine and licence suspension, out of stater.
I have been a juror, a defendant, divorce, and a witness, in Mass, Virginina is to informal for me.
I won.
This is a national thing. Americans are becoming uniformly fat AND very sloppy, appearing in public in the most unclean/and/or outlandish clothing. Grown men walking about in sneakers and torn jeans, or torn jean baggy shorts, goofy shirts with the names of sports stars, baseball caps, no haircut. And the women? Whoever brought this bare-midriff look to America ought to be hanged.
Jerry Springer fashion show on the streets of your town. Don't the rubes notice that Jerry is wearing a suit and tie? I do not understand this phenomenon. No excuse for it because it costs very little for a man to look decent.
One comment on court room attire.
I am blessed with an employer that actively encourages employees to serve thier jury duty. I have averaged jury call about every 16 months for the last 10 years or so.
On the jury instructions that we receive in the mail is the advice to wear comfortable casual clothes. I would say that about 75% of the folks on jury duty wear clothes that while not business casual are at least a step or two above blue jeans and a t-shirt.
I have only been on one jury, a criminal trial involving sexual abuse of a minor. It left a very bad feeling with me. I was called a few months ago and the defense attorney was the same one from my previous trial. I was excused, thankfully, as the first thought I had was that the defendant was toast. I tend not to get picked for juries, probably has something to do with my degree in criminal justice. The kicker is that I have never worked in the field since college.
Regards
alfa6 ;>}