Three times judges have taken issue with the headscarf worn by one female lawyer in Berlin. They declared that by wearing it, the lawyer, as an "officer of the court," was in violation of the ideological and religious neutrality of the justice system. All three times the Muslim lawyer, who has requested to remain anonymous, agreed to compromise.
For two of the trials in question, the lawyer removed her headscarf, under which she wore, in the words of Berlin court spokesman Ulrich Wimmer "a type of cap." In the third case, Wimmer says, the lawyer "wore her headscarf differently, fastening it the back so that it looked more like a peasant's headscarf." The judges were satisfied, finding that with these changes the lawyer's head covering "no longer had a religious appearance."
All three trials in question -- concerning a rear-end collision; a car that collided with a taxi while pulling out of a parking spot; and a crash in an intersection -- were thus able to proceed. In the future, however, the lawyer says she is no longer willing to make such "demeaning compromises." If a judge again takes issue with her headscarf, she plans to file a complaint with Berlin's constitutional court. The bar association has promised her both financial and personnel support. » | Joachim Wagner | Translated from the German by Ella Ornstein | Tuesday, September 17, 2013
