Miami court offers clothing options for people standing trial – NBC 6 South Florida

Hidden behind a door on the third floor of the Miami-Dade criminal courthouse is a room full of clothing options for people accused of crimes and standing trial.

On Friday, the Florida Justice Center and the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers-Miami Chapter cut the ribbon and launched “The Clothing Closet.” 

“We wanted to create a situation where clients who are indigent and going to trial had a chance to dress appropriately and be treated like more than a person with a criminal case,” said Alez Saiz, one of the criminal defense attorneys behind the project.

The walk-in closet includes several donated blazers, suits, dresses, shirts, and shoes for people to look sharp while standing trial.

To ensure a fair trial, defendants, no matter the crime, leave their jail jumpsuits behind, and change into formal wear in front of jurors. 

Usually, the defendant’s family or defense attorneys provide the accused with something to change into. 

However, now those standing trial will have options to choose from and get the “dignity” they deserve, attorneys say. 

“We don’t have a lot of happy days here at the Richard E. Gurstein Criminal Justice Building, so this is truly a happy day,” said Andrea R. Wolfson, the Associate Administrative Judge of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit’s County Court Criminal Division. 

The Clothing Closet is accepting new or gently used formal wear donations. Reach out to the Florida Justice Center if you would like to donate.