A courtroom debate over professional dress codes has drawn national attention and sparked questions about decorum, respect and local tradition.
A courtroom debate over professional dress codes has drawn national attention and sparked questions about decorum, respect and local tradition.
San Antonio attorney Mariah Medina said Judge Yolanda Huff of County Court at Law No. 12 told her to cover her shoulders while handling a jury trial docket on Monday, Sept. 21. Medina wore a sleeveless dress, tennis shoes and carried a backpack.
Medina said Judge Huff addressed her attire in front of others, telling her, "She said that the dress that I was wearing, which is the dress I'm wearing now, was inappropriate. She had me come back around and advise me that we have a duty to cover up and be modest and that in the future, I should always wear a blazer."
Judge Huff responded in a statement, saying Medina was disrespectful and unprofessional for wearing a sleeveless dress and not following expected standards in her courtroom.
"I asked her if she thought she was dressed appropriately for the trial docket and she stated, 'yes.' I asked her if she had a blazer and she said, 'I have many things in my car.'"
Huff added, "In my opinion, she was completely disrespectful to me as the judge and exhibited unprofessional behavior in the courtroom by failing to wear professional attire required during trial proceedings."
According to Huff, she spoke quietly and did not publicly embarrass Medina.
"I did not, in any way, embarrass her in open court. I spoke very softly and quietly to Ms. Medina. So much so that she had to lean forward to hear me. If you notice in the video people around us were completely unaware of our conversation," Huff said.
Medina saying the judge pulled her aside in front of everyone.
Huff also mentions her entire outfit was the issue including the backpack and shoes Medina says she was not aware the backpack and shoes played a role.
Huff also said, "Ms. Medina made this a public spectacle by posting to social media. Every law student, attorney and Judge are aware of the proper attire for court."
Local rules for Bexar County courts require attorneys to wear business attire, but do not mention specific requirements for covering shoulders. The Bexar County District Attorney's Office says that its attorneys are expected to cover their shoulders, while judges can set additional standards for their individual courtrooms.
Medina, who was previously an investigative reporter at News 4 San Antonio / Fox San Antonio, explained this was the first time she had been told her clothing was not suitable for court.
"I had no notice that this was a requirement of the court," Medina said.
The incident has since been widely discussed online, leading to thousands of messages. She said most comments have been supportive but some have been critical.
"Overwhelmingly positive, but there are some individuals that are just completely vile, essentially telling me my career is over before it even started," Medina said.
After Medina shared her experience, Bexar County attorney Joe Holscher with HGC Law Firm said Medina's outfit is commonly seen in local courtrooms.
"I see women attorneys dress like Mariah Medina was all the time. It's actually better than some attorneys dress, so to me it's completely normal. I can't even think of specific instances because it's so commonplace," Holscher said.
After the courtroom exchange, Medina said she will wear a blazer in Huff's courtroom moving forward.
The debate continues to generate local and national reaction as attorneys and court staff discuss longstanding expectations and modern rules.
