An update on wigs in the District Court and Court of Criminal Appeal

02/08/2007

Beginning on Monday, 3 September 2007, judges in the New South Wales Court of Appeal will no longer wear wigs. Consequently, barristers will no longer be required to wear wigs in the Court of Appeal from that date.�

Judges and barristers will�continue to�wear wigs in Supreme Court civil and criminal trials, all Court of Criminal Appeal matters�and�during all�ceremonial sittings.

NSW District Court

The District Court has announced that wigs are no longer to be worn in District Court civil matters. Although this is the official policy of the court, the policy is not mandatory upon every judge. Situations may arise where counsel may appear in civil matters before a judge who chooses to wear a wig.

The Bar�Association has communicated with the court,�which has indicated that in these circumstances that it will not be a discourtesy for counsel to appear before the court without a wig, in compliance with the general policy of the court.

An overview on barristers' court attire�in state and federal courts is provided on the Bar Association's web site.

14 August 2007