Only Black Robes For Judges, Says Florida Supreme Court

Florida has seen its share of variations on judge’s robes. A justice in Union County wore a camouflage robe, another in Tampa tried a blue robe and in the early ‘90s a judge in the Florida Keys wore one with a Hawaiian print. Those individual flourishes have been put to an end, with the Florida Supreme Court adopting a rule that mandates judges in the state wear “solid black with no embellishment.” Having consistency in uniform will “promote public trust and confidence in the proceedings and the judicial system as a whole,” the order states. Florida joins Alabama, Alaska, and Wisconsin in setting uniform requirements.