Those of you who are regulars here, know that I do not advocate going to divorce court unless all else fails. If you do go to divorce court, your legal fees will be outrageous. Going to divorce court will be more stressful than anything you have ever experienced.
That said, if you must go to divorce court, there a few things you need to know.
Your appearance and attire count for a lot. Judges demand respect and if you dress inappropriately, it can hurt your case. You especially need to be aware of this if you are to go before a female judge. There are some female judges who – if everything is equal – are inclined to side with a man rather than a woman.
Female judges fit into several scenarios
- They don’t have children, either because they couldn’t have them or they didn’t want them. When a mother is on the stand, the judge inherently might feel jealousy or disdain.
- Judges were attorneys before they were judges. What this can mean to you is very important. If the judge had kids and worked full time, it’s because she couldn’t afford to stay home or she didn’t want to stay home with the kids. When a stay at home mom is on the stand, the judge inherently might feel jealousy or disdain.
- Judges make about $100K a year. If your husband’s income is on the high end of the spectrum and you are stating that your needs require $25K per month excluding child support, the same holds true. The judge inherently might feel jealousy or disdain.
Wear clothing that is consistent with your income level. If you are stating that you don’t have enough money for your children’s needs but come to court in pricey clothing and wear jewelry, the judge will see that what you say and what you wear do not agree. Leave the fancy clothes and jewelry at home.
It’s a great idea to visit a particular judge’s courtroom prior to the time that your own divorce goes to court. You can learn a lot about particular judges and their attitudes and actions by witnessing them on the bench hearing another case.
Photo: Seattle Municipal Archives
