As the Internet debates criminal defense attorney Mariah Medina’s sleeveless dress during a hearing for which she got an earful from a female judge in front of other attorneys and defendants, Medina said her reaction was “honestly, pure shock”. Yolanda Huff, the judge called her knee-length sleeveless dress a “tank top” and Medina said the encounter left her “embarrassed, demeaned, honestly in disbelief”. “I’ve been treated professionally by many judges and fellow lawyers, and this was a first,” Medina told Jesse Weber Live adding that there is no dress code that says the shoulders need to be covered.“I think there’s a common misconception that judges are always right and judges are not infallible. We as attorneys need to advocate for our clients and advocate for ourselves in a manner that’s professional and consistent with our professional standards,” Medina said.“So, I just see this as an opportunity to bring attention to conduct that could be potentially harmful to other young lawyers and even seasoned attorneys.”Medina said Judge Huff addressed her attire in front of others, telling her, “She said that the dress that I was wearing, which is the dress I’m wearing now, was inappropriate. She had me come back around and advise me that we have a duty to cover up and be modest and that in the future, I should always wear a blazer.”
‘She was completely disrespectful’
Judge Huff said she thought Medina was completely disrespectful to her as the judge. “I asked her if she thought she was dressed appropriately for the trial docket and she stated, ‘yes.’ I asked her if she had a blazer and she said, ‘I have many things in my car.'”Huff added, “In my opinion, she was completely disrespectful to me as the judge and exhibited unprofessional behavior in the courtroom by failing to wear professional attire required during trial proceedings.”Huff said she did not embarrass Medina in front of others and spoke to her quietly on the side.“I did not, in any way, embarrass her in open court. I spoke very softly and quietly to Ms. Medina. So much so that she had to lean forward to hear me. If you notice in the video people around us were completely unaware of our conversation,” Huff said.Huff also said, “Ms Medina made this a public spectacle by posting to social media. Every law student, attorney and Judge are aware of the proper attire for court.”Medina was previously an investigative reporter at News $ San Antonia/ Fox San Antonio and she said this was the first time that she was told that her clothes were not suitable for court.After Medina shared her experience, Bexar County attorney Joe Holscher with HGC Law Firm said Medina’s outfit is commonly seen in local courtrooms. “I see women attorneys dress like Mariah Medina was all the time. It’s actually better than some attorneys dress, so to me it’s completely normal. I can’t even think of specific instances because it’s so commonplace,” Holscher said.Many attorneys, however, condemned Medina for making this a public spectacle and warned her that her legal career which has just begun will be finished if she does not respect judges.
