A San Antonio defense attorney says a Bexar County judge singled her out in open court this week, telling her that her dress was inappropriate for a jury trial setting.
Mariah Medina, a former San Antonio television reporter who now practices as a defense lawyer, described the incident on X on Monday. She posted a photo of herself wearing the dress outside the Bexar County Government building, saying it was what she had on when the judge called out her attire.
According to Medina, the encounter happened during what she expected to be a brief trial announcement docket. She said the judge asked her to come around the bench so she could inspect the outfit more closely.
“She had me come around the bench so she could see my outfit… in front of defendants and other lawyers,” Medina wrote. “She laughed and asked if I really believed that my dress was appropriate for a jury trial… then asked me if I had a blazer in my car.”
The dress in question was a gray shift dress from J.Crew that exposed her arms. Medina said she has worn the same dress on air as a reporter and in other courtrooms without any objection. She said she chose it over a blouse she felt showed more cleavage.
To back up her account, Medina also posted an older video of herself wearing the same dress while working as a reporter, saying she wanted to show “it wasn’t backless and doesn’t show side boob or anything.”
Medina said she believes she followed both the courthouse’s rules and the judge’s own posted dress code. Bexar County Criminal Court rules require attorneys and court officials to wear business attire, though business casual dress is allowed at the discretion of individual judges.
“Apart from her having her dress code on the doors outside her court (that my dress didn’t violate), it was completely mean spirited and unprofessional to address it in the manner that she did. My case wasn’t even going to trial today, and she, as the judge, knew that,” Medina said.
She added that the judge maintains a list of attire restrictions for her courtroom, and said the dress did not fall under any of them. “I grew up in a conservative church and I was truly confused. It’s appropriate length, doesn’t expose cleavage… it’s a J Crew dress for crying out loud, not a Hoochies Anonymous Club,” Medina wrote.
Despite her frustration, Medina said she plans to comply going forward. “It’s not the hill to die on and I have no problem throwing a coat on in the couple months she has left on the bench after being voted out of office,” she said, noting the judge is due to leave the bench soon.
The post drew a wide range of reactions online. Some commenters backed Medina, saying the dress looked ordinary and appropriate. Others sided with the judge, arguing that a judge’s ruling on courtroom decorum should be final. One commenter wrote that the judge should have held Medina in contempt.
Medina responded to the online debate with humor, later posting a video of herself at a shooting range with the caption: “Have been known to bear arms but now may be better known for bare arms?”
