Dress Code for Attorneys at the CCJ

Letter: No wigs at the Caribbean Court of Justice
Published on Friday, March 9, 2007
Source: Caribbean Net News

Dear Sir:

I refer to a letter published on Thursday March 8, 2007 from Mr Louie Christian in which he indicates that wigs are worn at the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) and goes on to express his view on this. Mr Christian’s information is incorrect.

Please be advised that a decision of this sort is one which is made by the Court and not by any of the organs of CARICOM and, in fact, wigs are not worn at the CCJ. The dress code for attorneys as well as other information for attorneys is to be found at the CCJ website under the menu offering, “attorneys” at: http://www.ccj.org/publicInfo/INFORMATION%20FOR%20COUNSEL%20revised%20(2).pdf At that page the following statement appears:

“4. Mode of dress when appearing before the Court Attorneys appearing before the Court are expected to dress as they would to address the Supreme Court in their home state. Wigs however are not required. For a case management conference attorneys are required to dress as they would for chamber court or for a case management conference in their home state.”

The CCJ Judges when in open court, wear unique CCJ blue and gold robes and do not wear wigs. The blue robes signify the Caribbean Sea which touches our shores and binds us together and the pure and strong gold band signifies the strength of the Caribbean sun which warms us all. In case management conferences, they wear no robes.

The Caribbean Court of Justice website which gives a great deal of information about the Court is located at http://www.caribbeancourtofjustice.org/.

I encourage your readers to visit the site.

Thank you.
Master Christie-Anne Morris-Alleyne

Court Executive Administrator Caribbean Court of Justice