I love my job!  I am lucky enough to spend two or three days a week in the courtroom. One day I may be defending a client charged with a DUI in Williamson County General Sessions Court and the next day I could be representing a client in Davidson County in divorce court.

If you ever find yourself spending a day in court as a juror, witness or even as a party in a lawsuit, you will notice one thing – justice moves SLOWLY.  There is a lot of hurry up and wait in the courtroom.

One of the many upsides of  spending two or three days a week in the courtroom is people watching.  My undergraduate degree is in fashion design so it is no surprise that I love observing what people wear to court.  During my eleven years of practicing law, I  fell in love with a pair of Christian Louboutin shoes I saw in Williamson County Court and know summer is here when I see men sporting seersucker suits in court.  Of course, I have observed TONS of fashion victims.

Apparently this session, the lawmakers of Tennessee have been paying attention to fashion as well.  Tennessee lawmakers have passed a bill to outlaw saggy pants in public schools.

The bill creates a statewide dress code for public school students , making it illegal for them to dress in an “indecent manner.”  The legislation forbids showing “underwear or body parts” if it “disrupts the learning environment.”

Tennessee will join Arkansas and Florida, the only two states that currently have laws against sagging pants in schools. Traditionally, school districts determine and enforce dress codes; however, three years ago, Tennessee lawmakers attempted to enact a similar bill.  A strict version of the bill, which carried penalties of up to $250.00 and 160 hours of community service, failed.  The enforcement of this bill allows school districts to decide the punishment.

The law takes effect July 1, 2012, approximately one month before Tennessee’s annual sales tax holiday.