Dress Code
Jun. 14th, 2013 01:22 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
madra_liathSummary: Phoenix decides to dress casually in the courtroom, and runs afoul of a new judge. Written for the Phoenix Wright Kink Meme.
***
Phoenix sweated nervously as he took his place behind the bench. Even though this case was nowhere near as serious as his first, he still wished Mia could’ve come with him. But the fact that she seemed so confident that he was ready to fly solo made him feel a little better.
The courtroom was sweltering in the August heat. Phoenix decided to slip his jacket off and leave it on the bench behind him. After a moment’s thought, he rolled up his shirt-sleeves too. He still looked presentable. After all, if the Chief could wear something with a plunging neckline and Winston Payne could show up in a crumpled, three-dollar suit, then he’d be fine.
“All rise!” the bailiff called. Phoenix watched as the judge entered. He was surprised when, instead of the bald, bearded one, the judge who took a seat at the head of the courtroom was a small, fierce-looking lady with red-blonde hair.
Phoenix listened as the bailiff introduced the case to the judge, mentally running over his arguments in his mind. He soon realised that the judge was directing her piercing gaze at him.
“Who are you?” she asked suddenly.
Phoenix was startled. “Excuse me, Your Honour?”
“The questions are gonna get harder,” the judge snapped. “Who. Are. You?”
“I-I’m Phoenix Wright,” Phoenix answered, “I’m the attorney for the defence.”
The judge kept staring at him. Phoenix fought the urge to squirm.
“You’re an attorney.”
Phoenix swallowed.
“Yes, Your Honour.”
The judge narrowed her gaze. “Well, if you’re an attorney, you should know that in court there’s a dress code. You come to court, you dress for court. You dress – SMART. You don’t roll up your sleeves like you’re gonna go relax with your buddies.”
“S-sorry, Your Honour!” Phoenix answered, hurriedly rolling his sleeves back down.
“You got a jacket?” the judge continued. “I don’t wanna sit here looking at your wrinkled shirt all morning. It’s irritating.”
Phoenix hesitated.
“Well?” the judge demanded.
“Your Honour, it’s hot,” Phoenix tried lamely.
“That comes under the category of Too Bad,” the judge snapped. “Put the rest of your suit on.” As Phoenix shrugged on his blue suit jacket, the judge continued. “You can roll up your shirtsleeves on your own time. This is not a karaoke bar.”
A chuckle ran around the courtroom, and the judge banged her gavel. “Hey!” She cast a glare around the courtroom. “One more like that and you’re all outta here.” She turned her attention back to Phoenix as he finished buttoning his jacket. “Now, Mr. Wright, if you ever show up in my court again without the proper attire, I’m gonna throw your case out. Are we clear?”
Judge Judith Sheindlin retired shortly afterwards, but from then on Phoenix always showed up for court in his suit, weather irrelevant.
***
Phoenix sweated nervously as he took his place behind the bench. Even though this case was nowhere near as serious as his first, he still wished Mia could’ve come with him. But the fact that she seemed so confident that he was ready to fly solo made him feel a little better.
The courtroom was sweltering in the August heat. Phoenix decided to slip his jacket off and leave it on the bench behind him. After a moment’s thought, he rolled up his shirt-sleeves too. He still looked presentable. After all, if the Chief could wear something with a plunging neckline and Winston Payne could show up in a crumpled, three-dollar suit, then he’d be fine.
“All rise!” the bailiff called. Phoenix watched as the judge entered. He was surprised when, instead of the bald, bearded one, the judge who took a seat at the head of the courtroom was a small, fierce-looking lady with red-blonde hair.
Phoenix listened as the bailiff introduced the case to the judge, mentally running over his arguments in his mind. He soon realised that the judge was directing her piercing gaze at him.
“Who are you?” she asked suddenly.
Phoenix was startled. “Excuse me, Your Honour?”
“The questions are gonna get harder,” the judge snapped. “Who. Are. You?”
“I-I’m Phoenix Wright,” Phoenix answered, “I’m the attorney for the defence.”
The judge kept staring at him. Phoenix fought the urge to squirm.
“You’re an attorney.”
Phoenix swallowed.
“Yes, Your Honour.”
The judge narrowed her gaze. “Well, if you’re an attorney, you should know that in court there’s a dress code. You come to court, you dress for court. You dress – SMART. You don’t roll up your sleeves like you’re gonna go relax with your buddies.”
“S-sorry, Your Honour!” Phoenix answered, hurriedly rolling his sleeves back down.
“You got a jacket?” the judge continued. “I don’t wanna sit here looking at your wrinkled shirt all morning. It’s irritating.”
Phoenix hesitated.
“Well?” the judge demanded.
“Your Honour, it’s hot,” Phoenix tried lamely.
“That comes under the category of Too Bad,” the judge snapped. “Put the rest of your suit on.” As Phoenix shrugged on his blue suit jacket, the judge continued. “You can roll up your shirtsleeves on your own time. This is not a karaoke bar.”
A chuckle ran around the courtroom, and the judge banged her gavel. “Hey!” She cast a glare around the courtroom. “One more like that and you’re all outta here.” She turned her attention back to Phoenix as he finished buttoning his jacket. “Now, Mr. Wright, if you ever show up in my court again without the proper attire, I’m gonna throw your case out. Are we clear?”
Judge Judith Sheindlin retired shortly afterwards, but from then on Phoenix always showed up for court in his suit, weather irrelevant.
