Circuit Judges
The costume of the County Court Judge is both steeped in tradition and yet marked by change. County Courts themselves are relatively new additions to the justice system, having been established in 1846. In the beginning, County Court judges simply wore a black gown. But the wheels of change were already in motion as many judges felt that their robes should echo that of the High Court. After much discussion, a new robe emerged in 1919.
Cut from violet cloth with lilac silk facings and cuffs, it was worn with a lilac casting hood (or tippet) across the shoulder and a black girdle around the waist. In 1937, the robe evolved further with the addition of a violet cloth hood with lilac facings in the same shape as that used by High Court Judges. This hood was to be used on ceremonial occasions.
A second casting hood, rich red in colour, was introduced with the founding of the Crown Court in 1971 and used for criminal cases, while the lilac casting hood is reserved for civil cases in the County Court and for ceremonial occasions. The casting hoods are worn on the left side, while High Court judges wear the casting hood on the right shoulder.
Over the last 150 years or so, the County Court judge’s robes have become more and more like those of their High Court counterparts. It’s a fascinating paradox: that by embracing change, the County Court judges have developed a robe modelled on patterns that are hundreds of years old. It illustrates the charming way the threads of previous centuries are woven so subtly into today’s society.
