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Hong Kong in legal wrangle over lawyers' wigs: Report

 
Published on Jan 15, 2013
1:24 PM
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Only judges (in picture) and barristers are allowed to don wigs in the courts of Hong Kong. But now solicitors also demand to have the right to don wigs as they would be allowed to argue cases in the High Court and Court of Final Appeal, and fear being seen as less authoritative and inferior in status if without the headwear. -- PHOTO: APPLE DAILY

HONG KONG (AFP) - Hong Kong's lawyers were embroiled on Tuesday in a legal wrangle with a difference - over whether solicitors should be allowed to don horse-hair wigs traditionally worn by barristers in court, according to reports.

While only barristers and judges are currently allowed to wear the curled, 17th century-style wigs, the city's Law Society says solicitors should be able to wear them during certain hearings, the South China Morning post reported.

Following a rule change that will soon allow solicitors to represent clients in the High Court and the Court of Final Appeal, the Society fears jurors may see their wig-wearing contemporaries as more authoritative, leading to prejudice in criminal trials.

Mr Stephen Hung Wan Shun, chairman of the Law Society's criminal law and procedure panel, said allowing solicitors to wear the same attire would eliminate the chance of a jury being influenced.

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