Members of the judiciary must maintain the dignity that befits their office. Litigants are comforted by having their fate decided by a somber technician of the law rather than by a buffoon. In particular, statutes should ensure that judges must not:

  1. Enter or leave court by public entrances;
  2. Appear on the bench unrobed;
  3. Appear on the bench dishevelled;
  4. Make jokes while on the bench;
  5. Bully advocates or litigants;
  6. Tolerate contempt of court;
  7. Tolerate perjury;
  8. tolerate indecorum in their court.

This article is an extract from the book ‘Principles of Good Government’ by Matthew Bransgrove