# What to wear for jury duty?



## tocqueville (Nov 15, 2009)

It strikes me that it's a solemn occasion, for which one should be dressed well, albeit soberly. A suit, but nothing flashy. It's a time to look respectable and serious but not stand out. I see that my many of my peers feel otherwise, though, and dress in various shades of casual or "business casual." So I worry that simply by wearing a suit I end up standing out. Any thoughts? And remember, it's already hot and muggy.


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## CuffDaddy (Feb 26, 2009)

Dress as you think best. That way, you're not misleading the lawyers about who you are. If you are selected, bring your best judgment and analytical skills to bear.


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## chatsworth osborne jr. (Feb 2, 2008)

*If we're talking jury selection, a bow tie.*

This is like being a bridesmaid: don't overshadow the main players. 
Muted colors and patterns. Chinos and an OCBD are fine, as is a workaday suit and tie. Elaborate doodads (collar pins, tie bars, cufflinks, patterned pocket squares) are best avoided.


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## MRR (Nov 19, 2009)

CuffDaddy said:


> If you are selected, bring your best judgment and analytical skills to bear.


 Having selected several dozen juries, I can assure you that I never once cared about what anyone was wearing other than to describe the juror when my staff and I were in another room making our strikes. I'm certain that DC is different than the parts of Kentucky I was working, but I cannot believe wearing the correct suit will do much.

Of course, you will be judged on your appearance and whatever stereotypes the attorneys associate with being well dressed will come into play. They will (hopefully) give more weight to how you respond to questions asked.

But, that is not answering your question, is it?
I'd say wear a navy or dark gray suit. No striking pinstripes or other loud patterns. I have heard other attorneys say that they think people wear red or blue ties based on political parties. So, keep that in mind if you want to make (or not make) a statement.


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## tocqueville (Nov 15, 2009)

*somber it is*

I guess that settles it: aim for sombre and dull. Much of my clothing is on the bright and colorful side, so I'll try to restrain the situation.

I'm not interested in making an impression on anyone, but I do sense the need to balance respect for the occasion (so one should dress well) while keeping in mind the inappropriateness of dressing too well. Normally when I dress well, like to meet with a client, I dress to impress. Here that's not the objective.



MRR said:


> Having selected several dozen juries, I can assure you that I never once cared about what anyone was wearing other than to describe the juror when my staff and I were in another room making our strikes. I'm certain that DC is different than the parts of Kentucky I was working, but I cannot believe wearing the correct suit will do much.
> 
> Of course, you will be judged on your appearance and whatever stereotypes the attorneys associate with being well dressed will come into play. They will (hopefully) give more weight to how you respond to questions asked.
> 
> ...


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## Penang Lawyer (May 27, 2008)

Suit with a tie or a blue blazer


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## CuffDaddy (Feb 26, 2009)

MRR said:


> Having selected several dozen juries, I can assure you that I never once cared about what anyone was wearing other than to describe the juror when my staff and I were in another room making our strikes.


Really? I would be astonished if that were literally true. Are you suggesting that, faced with two otherwise demographically identical jurors, you wouldn't draw any inference about the one dressed in a suit and tie versus the one in gym shorts or overalls? Maybe they let you do more extensive face-to-face voir dire where you were...


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## godan (Feb 10, 2010)

Being the only man in a jury pool who was wearing a suit may have had no effect on my being selected. However, in the Jury Room, I was elected foreman. Then, the suit may have combined with my manner and experience running meetings to achieve a fair but brisk pace for the deliberations that brought us to (the obvious) verdict quickly.


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## ostpl (Jan 8, 2010)

Having sat through numerous jury duty session in NYC & CT, I can say that even with an OCBD and chinos you will easily be the best dressed person in the jury pool. Unless you really have a strong desire to wear a suit, I would go with a more business casual look. Your "peers" in the jury pool will most likely be in jeans a d a t-shirt.


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## MRR (Nov 19, 2009)

CuffDaddy said:


> Are you suggesting that, faced with two otherwise demographically identical jurors, you wouldn't draw any inference about the one dressed in a suit and tie versus the one in gym shorts or overalls? Maybe they let you do more extensive face-to-face voir dire where you were...


 The counties I practiced in were relatively small. Entire jury pools (except for capital murder cases) generally had fewer than 70 members. Only 30 or so were called at any one time, so I was able to do a lot of face-to-face. I always went by people's statements and body language over attire. One of my best victories was because I didn't notice what a juror was wearing.

When I saw a juror in a suit, my only thought was "This guy owns a suit and knows how to dress for Court."


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## MRR (Nov 19, 2009)

godan said:


> Being the only man in a jury pool who was wearing a suit may have had no effect on my being selected. However, in the Jury Room, I was elected foreman. Then, the suit may have combined with my manner and experience running meetings to achieve a fair but brisk pace for the deliberations that brought us to (the obvious) verdict quickly.


Just like in 12 Angry Men. :icon_smile_wink:


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## CuffDaddy (Feb 26, 2009)

MRR, that makes some sense. In many other jurisdictions, as I'm sure you know, the trend is towards allowing very, very little direct examination/interaction with juries, with judges asking only a small number of pre-selected questions. Basically demographic and conflict info, not much else. In those circumstances, every little piece of information has _some_ value.


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## MRR (Nov 19, 2009)

CuffDaddy said:


> MRR, that makes some sense. In many other jurisdictions, as I'm sure you know, the trend is towards allowing very, very little direct examination/interaction with juries, with judges asking only a small number of pre-selected questions. Basically demographic and conflict info, not much else. In those circumstances, every little piece of information has _some_ value.


 While I question the validity of that last statement (Democrats and Republicans seem to draw very different Absolute Truths from the same information), I do concede that many people _think_ that every piece of information has value, and the legal profession is not immune to that.


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## CuffDaddy (Feb 26, 2009)

Well, there is no data that's immune to misinterpretation under a bad heuristic.


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## dks202 (Jun 20, 2008)

ostpl said:


> Your "peers" in the jury pool will most likely be in jeans and a t-shirt.


The Jury pools I have seen wear the same thing they wear to the mall, cargo shorts, flip flops. Very few jackets and ties are worn. Some judges don't care, other judges send them home to change. Good on 'em! Go with Navy blazer/tie or suit and you'll be OK.


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## Mr. Mac (Mar 14, 2008)

Watch "12 Angry Men" with Henry Fonda. Decide which character you want to emulate. Dress accordingly.


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## upr_crust (Aug 23, 2006)

How you dress depends on whether you wish to serve on a jury or not. If you show up in a suit and tie combination that is more attractive than that of either the prosecutor or the defense attorney, you may be rejected on the grounds that you are too much of an independent cast of mind. It has been my experience that lawyers want juries that are "sheep" - easily swayed by whatever argument they wish to put forth. 

That being said, I've been empaneled at least twice - baaaaaaa - though never in a suit.


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## PMRuby (Jan 13, 2010)

I've likewised picked many juries and I agree with MRR - I put virtually zero stock in what someone is wearing. You get a lot of actual information out of people during the selection process, and I don't really ever try to make an inference about someone based on what they're wearing. In other words, the prospective jurors will tell you a bit about themselves - jobs, experiences, etc. - and you'll get actual, unequivocal information from them. Then you draw some further educated inferences from their tone, demeanor, posture, etc. That's all useful info, in my experience. It's silly, in my opinion, to read into what they're wearing as making any sort of statement about them because, first, I tend to doubt you'd get any novel information that couldn't be gleaned from their prior statements and, second, because it's easier to misread clothes than it is words or tone (especially because most people don't really care or put much thought into what they're wearing).

If I were personally called for jury duty, I can assure you that I wouldn't wear a suit. I would dress like I do on the weekends - still looking nice and well put-together, but not in a suit or probably even a sport coat and slacks (unless the weather suggested it would be appropriate).


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## andy b. (Mar 18, 2010)

Where I live they used to send out letters stating men had to wear suits or sportcoats and ties to jury duty and if they didn't they would be held in contempt. The letters made no such demands regarding the attire of female jurors. Needless to say, after a year or so they quit sending the letters with jury duty notices.

I've been selected for the pool of jurors on several occasions, but only once made the cut for the actual jury. I was wearing old shorts and an old t-shirt.

Another time I was one of the potential jurors excluded as part of the "six for no reason" clause (it is some weird thing where I live that either the prosecution of defense can just pick six jurors and toss them out for no reason). As I was being led out the defendant said to his counsel, "hey, that was one of the guys I wanted to keep." It was a drunk-driving or assault case and the defendant was looking like he just walked off the set of Easy Rider and again, I was wearing old shorts and a t-shirt. It was a good call for the prosecution because I have friends that look like that and had no preconceived notions regarding the defendant, his attire, or his guilt or innocence.

I have never been a juror when I wore a sportcoat and tie.

Andy B.


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## Leighton (Nov 16, 2009)

Wear what you want. Its not an interview, wedding, or anything else. Facts are judged by a jury of our peers. Not by a jury of businessmen.

That said, I think you should show the process some respect and wear pants, shoes, and a shirt.


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## GBR (Aug 10, 2005)

Jeans, tee shirt and flip flops - that should see you excluded from selction.


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

Wear your style but, keep it neat, clean and conservative (think how you might choose to dress for church?) and...we'll see you in court!


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## son of brummell (Sep 29, 2004)

tocqueville said:


> It strikes me that it's a solemn occasion, for which one should be dressed well, albeit soberly. A suit, but nothing flashy. It's a time to look respectable and serious but not stand out. I see that my many of my peers feel otherwise, though, and dress in various shades of casual or "business casual." So I worry that simply by wearing a suit I end up standing out. Any thoughts? And remember, it's already hot and muggy.


I agree that it's a serious occasion and that a juror should dress seriously and have a serious demeanor. I would toss a potential juror in shorts and flip-flops.

You should wear something that you feel is appropriate. One guy may feel that a dark suit and tie is appropriate. The next may feel that a tan suit without tie is appropriate. Another may feel that a blazer and slacks is serious evnough. You have to be the judge.

When I have served (never picked) I wore a suit and tie. I had to go to my office during the day. In any event I always were a suit and tie since I am a trial attorney, and a trip to the courthouse is always an occasion for networking and meeting old friends.


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## harvey_birdman (Mar 10, 2008)

MRR said:


> Having selected several dozen juries, I can assure you that I never once cared about what anyone was wearing other than to describe the juror when my staff and I were in another room making our strikes.


I would generally agree with you, but I was selecting a jury once and a young man with a "Juggaloo" t-shirt was on the panel and I thought it appropriate to strike him for that reason alone.


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## philidor (Nov 19, 2009)

I would normally advise you to skip jury duty, but because you actually want to be on the jury I will say there isn't anything wrong with dressing down. A pair of chinos and a polo should work. If you want to play it safe wear a solid burgundy tie with a jacket.


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## phillyesq (Dec 9, 2008)

GBR said:


> Jeans, tee shirt and flip flops - that should see you excluded from selction.


Sadly, at least in Philadelphia, that doesn't really fall below the standard dress of many jurors. In a trial over the winter, most of the jury pool wore jeans and hoodies. They were barely presentable enough to mow the lawn.


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## 82-Greg (Apr 13, 2008)

I think the OP has failed to provide the most salient information. Does he really want to serve on a jury? I have never been called to serve on a jury, nor a desire to serve on one.


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## CuffDaddy (Feb 26, 2009)

82-Greg said:


> I have never been called to serve on a jury, nor a desire to serve on one.


The fact that most successful, intelligent people have that attitude is probably the single biggest reason that the results of jury trials in this country are not always as predictable and rational as they ought to be.


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## andy b. (Mar 18, 2010)

I thought this was just too appropriate for this thread.... 

https://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2010/0505101tshirt1.html

Andy B.


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## S. Kelly (Jan 19, 2008)

A blazer is what I usually wear, with an OCBD (tie in the inside pocket) and khakis. And casual loafers. This is better dressed than 99% of the jurors I've seen. The better dressed wear cargo shorts/pants and a polo/sport shirt. If you only knew how people dressed for court, you'd puke.


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## WRMS (Nov 19, 2008)

In my county Carharts, and t-shirts with logos seem to be the standard. Camo during hunting season of course.

Mark


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## tocqueville (Nov 15, 2009)

*so what happened*

I was picked and served for three days. We convicted the kid (25) on three felony counts, basically for violating DC's handgun laws. The lazy defense attorney did nothing more than argue that the government had not enough evidence to prove its case. But he did not put the accused on the stand, nor did he put any witness on the stand. So we never heard the accused's story. What we did know is what the cops told us, which is that he was caught driving a car with a buddy who had crack and plastic bags for selling the stuff and a loaded 9mm (with a round in the chamber) and a foot-long extended mag on the floor. At 2:00 am. So it goes.

The middle-aged AFrican-American women on the jury were wearing I guess what they wear to work, which is not to say they were "well" dressed, but they were not casually dressed. Appropriate. The white women were casually dressed. The men were mixed, but I was the most formally dressed of them. Two of the guys were very casually dressed. It bothered me. I mean, jeez, we're deciding whether to throw a guy in jail and do some serious damage to his future. And then the poor defendant himself was casually dressed in a white shirt and slacks. I'm guessing that's the nicest thing he owns.

We all felt really bad for him and wished that the defense attorney had made a better show. But in the end, no one doubted that he was guitly, at least in the common-sense notion of the word. But had the government proven beyond a reasonable doubt...

It was a good experience, but not quite a pleasant one. The two women in the audience who were there to support the defendant cried when the verdict was read. And earlier we saw the young man play with his baby daughter. But, I guess, he blew it for his kid when he decided to drive his drug dealing buddy around at 2:00 am with a loaded gun.


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## cglex (Oct 23, 2006)

Dress comfortably for the long wait in the jury room.


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## PJC in NoVa (Jan 23, 2005)

I think jury duty is a serious civic occasion so I wear a coat and tie. Back when I actually lived in DC, I used to get called up almost yearly. The only time I actually got empaneled, it was to decide a civil suit (wrongful firing) via a petit jury.

I kept up my coat & tie wearing through the several days of the trial (that's what I normally wear to work anyway) and took assiduous notes. In part b/c of this note-taking, my fellow jurors (two younger women, one white and one black, plus three middle-aged or older ladies, two black and one white) made me foreman by acclamation, and we produced what we all regarded as a Solomonic verdict in fairly short order--we served the cause of justice, and we wasted as little time as possible doing it. I recall the younger black woman (I believe she was a dept-store clerk) as being particularly incisive in getting to the heart of the issues in the case. 

The ladies generally went with what I recall (it was a number of years ago) as casual but quite presentable clothing.


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## brokencycle (Jan 11, 2008)

I wore a suit to the one time I was called for jury duty. I wasn't picked. I'd wear a suit again.


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## Jeffsan (Apr 1, 2010)

I think the best way to dress would be to treat it as a normal work day. In that way you will not be deceivig anyone and also you will be showing the necessary people that you are not in "relaxed mode"


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## TMMKC (Aug 2, 2007)

GBR said:


> Jeans, tee shirt and flip flops - that should see you excluded from selction.


On the contrary, I would think that if one wears his very best suit, FC shirt, PS, shined shoes and tie that he would be automatically exlcuded from jury duty. He might look too educated and well-informed and, hence, totally unsuitable and immune to manipulations by the lawyers.:icon_smile_big:


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## dcjacobson (Jun 25, 2007)

> On the contrary, I would think that if one wears his very best suit, FC shirt, PS, shined shoes and tie that he would be automatically exlcuded from jury duty


Several of my associates have told me that, here in St. Paul, a surefire way NOT to get selected for a jury is to show up in a suit and tie. (I haven't witnessed this, as I have lived here 25 years and have yet to be selected for jury duty.)

Good luck,
Don


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## andy b. (Mar 18, 2010)

dcjacobson said:


> (I haven't witnessed this, as I have lived here 25 years and have yet to be selected for jury duty.)
> 
> Good luck,
> Don


I just alerted the St. Paul juror selection board of their oversight.
.
.
.
.
Just kidding. 

Andy B.


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