Due to the great interest in the exhibition “Judicial Attires of European Judges” created for Museum Night, the Supreme Court is offering the opportunity to view this unique exhibition all week long.

The exhibition is open on weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Visits should be booked in advance with the Division of Communication by writing to komunikacija@at.gov.lv or calling to +371 67020362.

About the exhibition

The Supreme Court's call to European collegues to send in their official robes was reciprocated by the Supreme Courts of 24 European countries. This resulted in creation of a unique exhibition of judges' robes at the Supreme Court during Museum Night, showcasing the power of tradition in the similarity and, at the same time, in diversity of justice symbols.

The judge's robe is a symbol of the judiciary, embodying the status and independence of the judge. The robe distances the judge from what is personal, making him or her impartial and granting him or her the special power to administer justice.

The tradition of judicial robes has its roots in the vestments of priests and ritual symbols of ancient cultures, when justice was administered in temples or sacred places. The attires of priests were ceremonial, symbolizing authority and divine connection with justice.

In the Middle Ages, there were ecclesiastical courts, and priests also participated in city and royal courts since they were educated and knew how to write. In medieval Europe, university graduates joined the courts as judges, many of them were professors who also wore robes. In the 12th/13th century, robes for judges were established, which had to be worn when administering justice.

In more recent times, the function of administering justice was taken over by secular authorities, who rejected religious ceremonies and the presence of priests in court. However, many symbols, including the judge's robe and chain of office, were retained to ensure the authority of judicial proceedings and the importance of the ritual.

Different countries developed different traditions regarding the symbols of the judicial office, as in terms of fabric, colour, and other features of the robes. For example, there are countries where judges' robes are still decorated with animal skins.

The exhibition shows what judges' robes look like in present-day Europe.

The Supreme Court would like to thank the Fashion Museum and the National History Museum of Latvia for their support in organizing the exhibition!

Please note

The Supreme Court is located in Riga, Brīvības bulvāris 36, entrance from Elizabetes Street.

Upon entering the Court, a security check is carried out and every visitor is required to present proof of identity (passport or ID card).

 

Information prepared by

Rasma Zvejniece, Head of the Division of Communication of the Supreme Court

E-mail: rasma.zvejniece@at.gov.lv, telephone: +371 67020396, +371 28652211