Wednesday, January 09, 2008

See Why I Left WI?

An ascot may be formal wear to some, but a necktie it's not.

A Milwaukee judge says a prosecutor is bordering on contempt by wearing a red ascot to court, despite a courthouse rule requiring lawyers to wear neckties.

Circuit Judge William Sosnay held up court for about three hours Tuesday over the ascot - a silk scarf-like loop of cloth worn at the base of the neck - that prosecutor Warren Zier wore with his pinstriped gray suit.

The judge finally reasoned that it's an issue dealing with the integrity of the court, and only standard neckwear should be worn.

Zier said he plans to continue with his practice of rotating from a long tie to a bow tie and ascot.

"I think it's too casual, and Mr. Zier has appeared with a tie before," the judge said. "He has told me that if we're before a jury, he would appear with a tie. Well, why? I think we can draw an obvious implication from that."

Zier said he'll just have to wait to find out what happens about the threat of a contempt citation.

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