爱尔兰新规：法官不再戴假发

爱尔兰法院服务部近日宣布，法官出庭时不再需要佩戴标志性假发。这一变革使沿袭了超过350年的传统就此终结，同时还为爱尔兰纳税人节约不少开支。爱尔兰司法系统此前每任命一名法官，就需要支付2200欧元（约合1.9万人民币）来购买假发。据悉，这一提议已在爱尔兰高级法院管理委员会获得通过，并将在司法部长签署后正式生效。届时，最高和高级法院，以及巡回法院的法官在出庭时都不再需要佩戴假发。此前，爱尔兰法院服务部还通过一项规定，出庭法官不再被称呼为“My Lord”（大人），而改称“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".