The dress code for advocates, lawyers and judges across the world is a combination of Black and White except for some. Black color has two sides both positive and negative implications.
During the medieval era, the judges wore two colors, green and violet, in summer and winter respectively. But, the summer robes slowly vanished making way for black and violet robes. This history of black robes dates back over centuries to the age of Edward III in 1327. The legal system during that times included the Judges, sergeants, students, benchers, pleaders and Barristers. While the Sergeants practiced from St. Paul’s and wore the coiffure wig on heads, the Judges wore English Judicial costumes. The costumes of the English Judiciary are known to be in existence for over six centuries. In the year 1340, the legal profession in England was divided but even after the public opposed the length of the robes, but Lawyers decided against public and went ahead with long robes.
The Indian legal system influenced by the British, obviously so, made it compulsory for the lawyers to wear a Black coat or Robe alongside a white neck band on top of it in the year 1961 through the advocates act. As per the Section (49) (gg) of this act advocates need to wear the black robe irrespective of their seniority.
Black robe has a lot of significance in the legal field. It is an epitome of discipline as well as renders a sense of seriousness to the identity of Advocates. Even the white neck band also has a significance and has two strips of white cloth joined to make one band that signifies ‘Tablets of Stone’ or ‘Tablets of the Laws’. These tables also have a meaning. They are known to have been uses by Moses who received them on Mt Sinai from a burning bush and inscribed the Ten Commandments. They are also known to depict the upholding of laws of God as well as men.
The Indian as we all know has a great influence of the British as they ruled us for over 200 years. The Indian legal system also continues to follow the same black robe with white neckband on the top standard.
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*Sourced from the Internet