Judge scolds woman for wearing ‘tear-up’ jeans to court

Senior Parish Judge Sanchia Burrell said she is taking a zero-tolerance approach with persons who attend court proceedings not properly attired.

The judge's frustration stems from repeated incidents of persons attending the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court in ripped jeans, short skirts and sleeveless shirts. The judge was peeved when an accused woman, Stephanie Gayle, attended court in ripped jeans, exposing her legs.

"The rule is, no jeans at all. I don't understand how people reach so far in the dock in tear-up jeans. The police are not to let people into the court, whether they have business in a courtroom on the building or in the court's office in tear-up clothes," Judge Burrell said.

She noted that the police officers who are in charge of checking defendants before they enter the courthouse are not being thorough. On Thursday, a complainant attended court with a bonnet on her head, covering her unkempt hair.

"How she reach in here (the courtroom) in a bonnet? Nobody goes to the embassy in a bonnet. She cannot be in here," the senior jurist said, instructing the police officers to remove the woman from the courtroom.

According to the dress code guidelines published on the Parish Court of Jamaica website, women are expected to be moderately dressed, with their chest, stomach or thigh unexposed. Tight clothing is not allowed. Men are not allowed to wear earrings, and their chests or chest hairs should not be exposed. Males are to tuck in their shirts, and their pants are to be secured to the waistline.

"I am enforcing it because when you pass up by Liguanea [where the US Embassy is located], there is no tear-up jeans. I am not saying it again to the police. We cannot keep bringing down this place. Looks like I need to go to the front and vet the people myself," Judge Burrell said.