Britain's lawyers and judges are to break with centuries-old tradition and cease wearing white horse-hair wigs in non-criminal cases, the head of the country's judiciary announced on Thursday.

The Lord Chief Justice, Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers, said new dress rules would mean the wigs, which British legal professionals have worn since the 17th century, would not be needed in civil or family court cases.

Wing collars and bands -- white cotton strips worn round the neck -- can also be dispensed with in such cases according to the reforms, while judges will need just one gown in future instead of a variety of colorful outfits currently required.

The wigs will still be worn in criminal courts.

"At present High Court judges have no less than five different sets of working dress, depending on the jurisdiction in which they are sitting and the season of the year," Phillips said in a statement.

"After widespread consultation it has been decided to simplify this."

A review carried out in 2003 found that more than two thirds of respondents wanted to eliminate the wigs in civil cases, although most said criminal court judges should still wear them.

Opponents of wigs thought they were anachronistic, as well as uncomfortable and expensive.

A shoulder-length wig costs more than 1,500 pounds ($3,000) while the shorter ones worn by lawyers cost about 400 pounds each.

However, the idea of abolishing them has met with disapproval from some lawyers who feel the wigs give them an air of authority.

"While there will never be unanimity of view about court dress, the desirability of these changes has a broad measure of agreement," Phillips said.
英国司法界领袖上周四宣布，英国的律师和法官们将告别一个沿袭了几个世纪的传统，在出庭审理非刑事案件时不用再戴白色的马鬃假发。

高等法院首席法官、沃斯麦特勒佛的菲利普斯勋爵说，这一新的着装规定意味着从17世纪起司法界专业人士开始戴的假发在今后的民事或家庭纠纷案件中不需要再佩戴了。

根据新规定，翼形领和围在脖子上的白色棉质饰带在此类案件中也不需要戴了；此外，今后法官在审理案件时不用再穿现在那一套五颜六色的法官服了，而只需穿一件法官袍。

但在出庭审理刑事案件时，还需要佩戴假发。

菲利普斯在一份声明中说：“现在，英国高等法院的法官至少有五套不同的工作服，他们根据不同的司法场合和季节着装。”

“经过广泛征询意见后，我们决定对此进行简化。”

2003年开展的一项调查发现，三分之二的受访者希望废除民事案件中佩戴假发的规定，同时大多数人称法官在审理刑事案件时还是应该佩戴假发的。

反对佩戴假发者认为假发已过时、戴着不舒适而且价格昂贵。

一个齐肩的假发需要1500多英镑，律师们佩戴的短假发则需大约400英镑。

然而，废除假发的规定遭到一些律师们的反对，他们觉得假发能让他们看起来有一种权威感。

菲利普斯说：“对于法庭着装，从来不会有一致的意见。目前的这些改革得到了广泛支持。”