A woman lawyer in court dress.
SHENZHEN lawyers began wearing formal robes in court hearings this week, six years after a national plan to make the dress compulsory for lawyers was shelved.
According to a regulation recently passed by the municipal lawyers’ association, lawyers must wear the robes when attending the intermediary people’s court. The regulation took effect Saturday.
The changing room at the intermediate people’s court was more crowded than ever Monday, the first work day after the regulation took effect.
While some lawyers welcomed the robes, saying that they brought a sense of dignity, others complained that the robes were too hot for Shenzhen’s hot weather.
“I feel good in the robe,” said lawyer Yan Weilu, walking out of a court room in his new robe. “I feel more dignified and responsible than in civilian clothes.”
“Too hot!” said lawyer Shan Mengliang as he put on his new robe in the changing room. The robe contained wool and was too hot for Shenzhen’s weather — although he later felt better in the air-conditioned court room.
The lawyers’ association prepared 13 robes for those who did not have one. At least four lawyers borrowed robes Monday.
The national lawyers’ association required lawyers to wear court dress as early as in 2003 but lawyers ignored the requirement.
Shenzhen was the first city to make it compulsory for lawyers to wear robes, said Li Chun, president of the Shenzhen Lawyers’ Association.
The lawyers’ association doesn’t require lawyers to wear the formal dress in district courts. However, some lawyers began wearing robes in district courts Monday.
Zhang Yong, Party chief of the lawyers’ association, said the association would punish lawyers who didn’t wear robes but did not specify a penalty.
Li Zhiqiang, a spokesman for the lawyers’ association, said the penalty would not be imposed immediately as lawyers would be given some time to get used to the new regulation. (Deng Hanneng)