愛爾蘭新規：法官不再戴假髮
愛爾蘭法院服務部近日宣佈，法官出庭時不再需要佩戴標誌性假髮。這一變革使沿襲了超過350年的傳統就此終結，同時還爲愛爾蘭納稅人節約不少開支。愛爾蘭司法系統此前每任命一名法官，就需要支付2200歐元（約合1.9萬人民幣）來購買假髮。據悉，這一提議已在愛爾蘭高級法院管理委員會獲得通過，並將在司法部長簽署後正式生效。屆時，最高和高級法院，以及巡迴法院的法官在出庭時都不再需要佩戴假髮。此前，愛爾蘭法院服務部還通過一項規定，出庭法官不再被稱呼爲“My Lord”（大人），而改稱“Judge”（法官）。
Ireland's judges are to ditch their horsehair wigs after 350 years, the country's Courts Service said.
"A change in Court Rules made today, will end the requirement for judges to wear wigs in court," a statement said.
The Superior Courts Rules Committee, chaired for the first time by recently appointed chief justice Susan Denham - Ireland's first female top judge - approved the court rules change that does away with the requirement for ceremonial wigs to be worn in the Supreme and High Courts.
A similar rule change will apply to judges in the Circuit Court after the change is signed into law by Justice Minister Alan Shatter.
Wigs have been worn in court as "a matter of rule, tradition and law" since about 1660, the time of the restoration of the English monarchy, and survived Ireland's transition to independence in 1921.
The change will mean a saving for Ireland's cash-strapped taxpayers, as newly appointed judges buying a wig had to pay about 2,200 euros ($3,000).
The Service said the decision to dispense with wigs was complementary to a rule change made some time ago which removed the necessity to address a judge in court as "My Lord".
It is now the rule that a judge be referred to simply as "Judge" or in the Irish language as "A Bhreithim".
